THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


: 


- 


COMMON  SENSE  GARDENS 


COMMON  SENSE 
GARDENS 

HOW  TO  PLAN  AND  PLANT  THEM 
By 

CORNELIUS  V  V  SEWELL 


NEW-YORK 


'^K  MDCCCCVI 


THE  •  GRAFTON  •  PRESS 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  190G, 
BY   THE   GRAFTOX   PRESS. 


PREFACE 

THE  history  of  the 
world  was  begun  in  a 
garden,  and  to  judge 
by  the  temper  and 
sentiment  of  the  rising  genera- 
tion it  is  likely  to  end  in  one. 
Every  year  more  and  more  people 
seek  the  country,  not  only  in 
Summertime  when  the  lanes  and 
byways  are  aglow  with  flowers 
and  merry  with  the  songs  of 
birds,  but  also  in  Winter  when  Nature  has  "wrapped 
the  draperies  of  her  couch  about  her  and  laid  down 
to  pleasant  dreams."  As  our  forefathers  knew,  we 
are  beginning  to  learn  that  the  lasting  pleasures  of 
life  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  teeming  cities,  but 
in  the  fields  and  woods  within  sound  of  the  voice 
of  Nature  who  is  forever  calling  her  children  home. 
When  an  Englishman  accumulates  a  small 
fortune  he  retires  to  the  country  to  live  before 
his  youth  is  spent  and  his  health  broken,  for  he 
knows  that  in  the  open  a  man  need  never  grow 
old;  his  great  ambition  in  life  is  to  leave  the  city 


Vlll 


behind  him.  What  better  friends  can  a  man  make 
for  his  declining  years  than  the  trees  and  flowers; 
what  fairer  heritage  can  he  leave  to  his  children 
than  a  garden?  But  if  one  persistently  snubs 
Nature  at  forty,  she  may  return  the  compliment 
at  three-score-years-and-ten. 

When  a  man  buys  a  place  in  the  country  the 
first  thing  his  wife  thinks  of  is  a  garden,  and  it  is 
generally  the  last  thing  that  he  makes.  If  he  is 
chided  for  his  lack  of  interest  in  the  gentle  art  of 
horticulture,  he  will  probably  reply  that  he  has 
become  discouraged  since  strolling  through  the 
grounds  of  his  rich  neighbour  who  has  laid  out 
some  of  his  surplus  millions  in  glass  houses,  oran- 
geries, vineries,  velvet  lawns,  statues  of  Pan,  foun- 
tains, sylvan  lakes,  nymph.ean  groves  and  grots 
(with  nymphs)  and  many  other  outward  and  visi- 
ble signs  of  modern  opulence.  And  discourage- 
ment would  no  doubt  be  natural  unless  he  possessed 
modest  tastes  and  a  well-defined  idea  of  the  gen- 
eral fitness  of  things. 

The  following  chapters  were  designed  to  point 
out  to  the  owners  of  small  and  unostentatious 
places  a  way  to  plant  their  grounds  and  make  their 
gardens  with  small  expense;  to  use  the  best  known 
indigenous  trees  and  the  shrubs  and  plants  that 
have  been  identified  for  so  long  with  American 
gardens  that  they  have  become  American  by 


PREFACE  IX 

adoption;  and,  to  obtain  with  these,  good  and  last- 
ing effects  that  will  be  the  means  of  ever-increasing 
enjoyment,  yet  will  not  entail  the  cares  and 
worries  that  inevitably  accompany  elaborateness 
and  display. 

In  the  course  of  time  the  furniture  of  our  fore- 
fathers went  out  of  fashion  and  was  superseded 
by  many  different  styles  more  or  less  fantastic, 
and  generally  hideous,  yet  after  a  hundred  years 
or  more  we  find  the  chairs  of  Chippendale  and 
the  mirrors  and  tables  of  Hepplewhite  just  as 
beautiful  as  on  the  day  they  were  made,  and 
just  as  effective  and  dignified  in  a  new  house  as 
in  an  old  one,  because  they  had  merit,  because 
brains  and  skill  and  time  were  given  to  their 
making. 

So  it  is  with  the  gardens,  and  with  the  shrubs 
and  trees;  those  that  possessed  merit  once  possess 
it  still,  and  those  that  were  beautiful  a  hundred 
years  ago  are  just  as  beautiful  to-day,  in  fact 
more  beautiful,  because  with  the  passing  of  Time 
they  have  become  enhaloed  by  sentiment  and 
tradition. 

"  A  thing  of  beauty  is  a  joy  forever; 
Its  loveliness  increases,  it  will  never 
Pass  into  nothingness." 

New  styles  and  new  fashions  in  flowers  have  been 
introduced  and  have  had  their  day,  yet  the  Roses 


X  PREFACE 

and  Lilacs  of  yesterday  still  possess  their  charms 
of  colour  and  form  and  perfume,  charms  that  a 
Burbank  with  all  his  magic  has  been  unable  to 
dissipate,  and  these  our  grandchildren  will  enjoy 
as  much  as  their  grandfathers  enjoyed  them. 

If  anyone  should  use  the  suggestions  set  forth 
in  Common  Sense  Gardens  and  be  dissatisfied  with 
the  results  that  are  obtained,  the  defects  may  be 
easily  remedied:  call  in  a  nurseryman  or  a  land- 
scape gardener  and  give  him  carte  blanche  to  im- 
prove your  grounds  with  pergolas,  rustic  benches, 
wire  arches,  rare  trees  and  plants,  and  so  forth; 
a  great  transformation  may  be  worked  in  a  short 
time.  Of  two  evils  the  lesser  should  always 
be  chosen,  but  in  any  event  your  wife  and  chil- 
dren should  have  a  garden  in  which  to  work  and 
play. 

The  illustrations  in  Common  Sense  Gardens  are 
for  the  most  part  from  photographs  that  I  have 
taken  from  time  to  time  in  my  own  and  other 
gardens.  The  figures  of  walls,  arches,  fences, 
gates  and  so  forth,  are  reproductions  of  those 
found  in  old  gardens,  and  were  designed  under  my 
supervision  for  the  book;  the  plan  of  planting  is 
of  my  own  garden.  Acknowledgment  is  made  to 
Country  Life  (English)  for  pictures  of  English  gar- 
dens; and  to  House  and  Garden  for  the  picture  of 
an  old  garden  at  Camden,  South  Carolina.  I  de- 


PREFACE  XI 

sire  also  to  mention  the  following  books  of  refer- 
ence and  to  acknowledge  their  influence :  Old  Time 
Gardens,  Mrs.  Earle;  English  Pleasure  Garden*, 
Nichols;  The  Formal  Garden  in  England,  Bloom- 
field;  Some  English  Gardens,  George  S.  Elgood 
and  Gertrude  Jekyl. 

CORNELIUS  V.  V.  SEWELL. 
EASTOVER, 

RYE,  NEW  YORK, 
March,  1906. 


I  GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH         .       1 
II  A  COMMON  SENSE  GARDEN    .         .         .21 

III  THE  GARDEN  ENCLOSURE       .         .         .39 

IV  LAYING  OUT  THE  GARDEN        .         .         .57 
V  A  FEW  GOOD  TREES        .         .         .         .73 

VI  EVERGREENS  AND  OLD  Box    .         .         .97 

VII  CHOOSING  SHRUBS  AND  SMALL  TREES      .  127 

VIII  GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD  .         .  147 

IX  WALLS  OF  STONE  AND  BRICK  .         .  165 

X  FENCES  AND  HEDGES       ....  185 

XI  OLD  AND  NEW  ROSES      ....  209 

XII  EVER-BLOOMING    AND    CLIMBING  ROSES 

AND  VINES 233 

XIII  FILLING  IN  WITH  COLOUR       .         .         .  267 

XIV  THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR    THE  GAR- 

DEN      287 

XV  NATURALIZING 325 

XVI  A  SMALL  WATER  GARDEN        .         .         .  369 
xiii 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


THE  GARDEN  ENCLOSURE;  MT. 

VERNON          .     Frontispiece 

PAGE 

ENGLISH  LABOURER'S  COTTAGE  ...  5 
ROSES  AND  LILIES  IN  AN  ENGLISH  DOORYARD  9 
A  CORNER  OF  THE  GARDEN;  MT.  VERNON  .  13 
OLD  GARDEN;  CAMDEN,  SOUTH  CAROLINA  .  17 
LOOKING  DOWN  INTO  THE  GARDEN  .  .  23 
A  NEW  GARDEN;  SPRING  .  .  .  .27 
FLOWERING  ALMOND  IN  THE  GARDEN  .  .31 
Box  HEDGES  AT  MT.  VERNON  .  .  .35 
OLD  WALLED  ENGLISH  GARDEN  .  .  .41 
AN  ENCLOSED  ENGLISH  GARDEN  .  .  45 

A  GARDEN  FENCE  .         .         .         .         .49 

THE  PERGOLA  AT  ARLINGTON  .  .  .53 
PRIVET  HEDGE  AROUND  THE  GARDEN;  PIN 

OAKS  IN  BACKGROUND     .         .         .         .59 
Box  EDGING  AT  MT.  VERNON        .        .        .63 

XV 


XVI  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

OLD  Box  HEDGE 65 

OLD  Box 67 

LlLACS    BEHIND    AN    OLD    WALL          .  .  .69 

A  WELL-FRAMED  GARDEN  .  .  .  .75 
WHITE  OAK  AND  SPRUCE  .  .  .  .79 
WHITE  OAK  IN  WINTER  .  .  .  .84 
WHITE  OAKS  IN  WINTER  HOLDING  THEIR 

LEAVES     .......     89 

AVENUE  OF  MAPLES 91 

PIN  OAK  IN  WINTER 92 

TRANSPLANTED  PIN  OAKS  .  .  .  .94 
NURSERY-GROWN  WHITE  PINE  TREES  .  .101 
SPRUCE,  PINE  AND  CEDAR  .  .  .  .105 

GROUP  OF  CEDARS 107 

CEDAR  GROWING  ON  TOP  OF  ROCK  .  .  109 
RED  CEDARS  ON  THE  LAWN  .  .  .  .113 

BOX  AND   YEW   IN   AN   ENGLISH   GARDEN  .    117 

OLD  Box 121 

ARBOR  VIT^E  PYRAMIDALIS  .  .  .  124 

TREES  AND  SHRUBS  IN  THE  GARDEN;  MT. 

VERNON 129 

OLD  STONE  GATEWAY  .....  133 
MAGNOLIAS  ON  THE  TERRACE;  VIRGINIA  .  139 
OLD  Box  ARCHWAY  ;  FLUSHING,  LONG  ISLAND  143 
OLD  SYRINGA  IN  A  COTTAGE  YARD  .  .149 
WILD  RHODODENDRONS  IN  FRONT  OF  AN  OLD 

WALL .155 

RHODODENDRON  ON  THE  EDGE  OF  A  WOOD  .  159 


ILLUSTRATIONS  XV11 

PAGE 

BRICK  WALL  IN  AN  ENGLISH  GARDEN  .  167 

OLD  STONE  WALL  .         .         .         .         .171 

PICKET  FENCE  ON  A  LOW  BRICK  WALL  .  174 
ANOTHER  WALL  WITH  PICKET  FENCE  .  .  176 
OLD  SOUTHERN  WALL  WITH  MOULDED  BRICK 

CAP 177 

OLD  BRICK  WALL  WITH  MOULDED  CAP  .  178 
BRICK  RETAINING  WALL  .  .  .  .179 
OLD  ENGLISH  GATE  .....  180 
ENTRANCE  TO  FORECOURT;  MT.  YERNON  .  181 
Box  WALK;  MT.  VERNON  ....  187 
ARCHED  GATEWAYS  .....  189 

PICKET  FENCE 190 

ARCHES  AND  HEDGES 191 

POSTS  FOR  FENCES  OR  HEDGES     .         .         .  193 

HEMLOCK  HEDGE 195 

NASTURTIUMS  CLIMBING  OVER  PRIVET  HEDGE  199 
OLD  Box  HEDGE  NEAR  BALTIMORE  .  .  202 

OLD    Box    HEDGE 205 

GARDEN  PATH;  WRAXHALL  MANOR  .  .  211 
OLD  ENGLISH  DOVE  COTE  .  .  .  .215 
OLD  THATCHED  CHALK  WALL  .  .  .219 
STONE  STEPS  AND  GATEWAY  .  .  .  223 

ROSE  BEDS 232 

ROSE    BEDS    ENLARGED     INTO    ROSE    GAR- 
DEN           235 

ROSES  ON  A  BRICK  WALL  ....  241 
DAWSON  ROSE  ON  A  PEAR  TREE  .  249 


XV111  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

WHITE  RAMBLER  ON  AN  APPLE  TREE  .         .  255 

ROSE  GARDEN 261 

IN  THE  GARDEN;  MT.  VERNON  .  .  .  271 
YEW  BUTTRESSES;  ARLEY  ....  275 

YEW  ALCOVES 279 

THE  YEW  GARDEN;  ARLEY  ....  283 
GARDEN  PATH  WITH  SUNDIAL  .  .  .  289 
PHLOX  OF  ALL  COLOURS  IN  THE  GARDEN  ;  JULY  293 
GERMAN  IRIS  IN  THE  GARDEN  .  .  .  297 
WHITE  JAPAN  IRIS  .  .  .  .  .301 

PHLOX  AND  FUNKIA 307 

WHITE  PHLOX  IN  THE  GARDEN  .  .  .313 
CAMPANULA  PYRAMIDALIS  .  .  .  .319 
NARCISSI  IN  THE  FIELD  ....  324 
NARCISSI  NATURALIZED  ALONG  A  STREAM  .  327 
NARCISSI  IN  THE  GRASS  .  .  .  .331 
CROCUS  IN  THE  GRASS  ....  335 

FOXGLOVES  ALONG  A  WOODLAND  PATH          .  339 

TRUMPET  NARCISSUS 342 

POET'S  NARCISSUS 346 

PERENNIALS  BORDERING  AN  OLD  PATH  .  351 
A  GOOD  OPPORTUNITY  FOR  NATURALIZING  .  355 
IRIS  ON  THE  EDGE  OF  THE  LAWN  .  .  359 

LAVENDER 361 

PLAN  OF  PLANTING  THE  FLOWER  GARDEN  363-366 
OLD  ENGLISH  WATER  GARDEN  .  .  .  368 

GARDEN  SEATS 371,  375 

PLAN  OF  PLANTING  WATER  GARDEN         379-382 


COMMON  SENSE  GARDENS 


COMMON  SENSE  GARDENS 


CHAPTER   I 

GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH 

early  New  England  days  the 
residences  of  the  government 
officials,  and  later  the  more  preten- 
tious mansions  of  the  rich  merchants 
were  provided    with  gardens  copied  on  a 
small  and  less   elaborate   scale   from    the 


2  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

gardens  of  England,  for  the  homes  of  the  bet- 
ter classes  were  generally  situated  in  the  heart 
of  the  town.  The  New  England  merchant  when 
he  retired  from  business  was  careful  to  re- 
main in  touch  with  civilization  as  he  had  al- 
ways known  it,  and  rarely  isolated  himself  on  a 
large  and  lonely  estate  in  the  depths  of  the 
country,  which  in  those  days,  to  be  sure,  was 
for  the  most  part  an  un tracked  wilderness  abound- 
ing in  wild  beasts  and  savages.  His  pleasure 
seems  to  have  been  derived  principally  from 
watching  the  struggles  of  his  successors  with 
the  problems  that  he  had  met  and  conquered, 
rather  than  from  an  unlimited  contemplation 
of  nature,  for  which  he  had  a  certain  amount  of 
respect  and  perhaps  regard,  but  rarely  any  inti- 
mate friendship. 

The  early  gardens  of  New  England  were  made 
when  grandeur  and  magnificence  were  not  much 
practised  by  the  descendants  of  the  most  stern 
Puritans,  when  their  resources  were  somewhat 
limited.  They  were  maintained  more  as  a  link 
between  the  old  and  the  new,  between  the  past 
of  bitter  memory  and  the  future  fulsome  with  the 


GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH      6 

hope  that  springs  eternal  in  the  human  breast. 
Seeds  of  the  old,  well-loved  flowers  that  had 
been  gathered  in  sorrow  and  often  wet  with  silent 
tears  were  carefully  saved  and  transported  with 
the  household  gods  to  the  land  of  promise. 
There  they  were  sown  under  the  quickening  rays 
of  the  dazzling  sun,  which  like  the  pil  ar  of  fire 
of  the  children  of  Israel  had  led  them  out  of 
the  wilderness  into  the  flowery  meads  of  free- 
dom. 

The  fittest  of  these  flowers  survived  and  have 
come  down  to  the  garden  makers  of  to-day,  often 
hybridized  and  enlarged  and  not  always  improved, 
but  still  exhaling  the  perfumes  of  old  that  com- 
forted the  wanderers  in  a  strange  land,  and  brought 
welcome  heartsease  in  time  of  sorrow.  With 
them  are  linked  memories  of  the  clays  of  our  fore- 
fathers, around  which  such  a  halo  of  romance  and 
mystery  has  always  hung. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  rich  merchants  of 
Plymouth,  Portsmouth  and  Salem,  and  a  small 
number  of  prosperous  planters  in  Rhode  Island, 
the  inhabitants  of  the  New  England  colonies  were 
not  as  well  blessed  with  this  world's  goods  as  were 


COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

their  fellow  countrymen  in  the  South  who  lived 
in  a  land  that  literally  flowed  with  milk  and  honey. 
And  at  no  period  of  his  career  did  the  New  Eng- 
lander  of  yore  embrace  the  fashion  of  princely 
living  as  it  is  called  to-day,  for  it  was  a  fashion 
that  was  opposed  to  his  teachings  and  against  the 
precepts  that  had  been  bred  in  his  bone  for  genera- 
tions. Even  though  unwonted  prosperity  came 
eventually  to  dull  his  Puritan  conscience  he  was 
quite  content  to  lay  out  a  modest  garden  adjoin- 
ing his  house,  which  was  generally  in  town.  This 
back  yard,  which  in  reality  is  what  it  was,  he 
enclosed  with  a  high  fence  or  wall  and  used  as 
the  old  Roman  gardens  or  the  gardens  of  the 
Renaissance  were  used,  as  a  secluded  room  of  his 
house  in  which  to  transact  important  business 
with  privacy;  as  a  sanctuary  from  the  thousand 
and  one  worries  of  everyday  life;  as  a  retreat  to 
which  to  repair  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  or  in  which 
to  recline  beneath  his  own  vine  and  fig  tree  when 
the  sun  was  sinking  below  the  tree- tops.  There 
wine  and  cake  were  served  to  the  guest  upon 
arrival,  or  to  the  casual  visitor  even  if  he  came 
within  an  hour  of  mealtime,  as  tea  arid  toast  are 


GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH     7 

served  to-day.  There  the  members  of  his  family 
foregathered  from  their  various  occupations  when 
the  shadows  were  lengthening  and  the  hedge- 
sparrows  nesting  in  the  thicket. 

After  a  time  the  yard  became  an  adjunct  of  the 
house  so  that  one  was  rarely  planned  without  the 
other.  The  front-yard  garden  has  been  insepa- 
rable from  the  English  cottage  since  before  the 
time  of  Elizabeth,  and  it  is  from  the  cottage  of 
England  that  the  cottage  of  New  England  in- 
herited its  bed  of  simples  and  its  garlands  of  bloom. 
It  is  found  in  some  form  in  every  class  of  dwelling, 
from  the  stately  homestead  of  broad  acres  to  the 
small,  unpainted  cottage  of  the  farm  labourer,  and 
generally  owes  its  particular  charms  to  the  minis- 
trations of  the  women  who,  in  days  gone  by,  were 
associated  in  a  more  or  less  vague  way  in  the  mind 
of  man  with  flowers,  and  credited  with  many  of 
their  attractive  qualities. 

This  characteristic  of  the  New  England  home  is 
plainly  in  evidence  as  soon  as  the  boundaries  of 
that  area  are  approached,  in  many  instances  its 
influences  have  overflowed  beneficently  into  the 
adjoining  counties  of  New  York.  When  the  home- 


8  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

stead  was  built  near  the  road,  as  it  generally  was 
for  convenience  sake,  three  or  four  trees  whose 
genus  varied  with  the  section  of  country,  but  which 
were  generally  either  White  Pines,  Maples  or  Elms, 
were  planted  for  their  shade  in  a  row  just  outside 
or  just  inside  the  front  fence.  There  on  the  turf 
that  grew  fine  and  velvety  beneath  their  rustling 
leaves  the  inevitable  rocking-chair  was  placed, 
and  the  women  of  the  family  rocked  and  read  and 
sewed  whenever  their  manifold  duties  would  per- 
mit. These  trees  were  the  only  formal  notes  of 
horticulture  to  be  seen  in  the  otherwise  natural 
landscape;  and  their  formality  grew  into  stateli- 
ness  year  after  year,  generation  after  generation, 
until  to-day  they  stand  glorious  monuments  to  the 
long  dead  hands  that  nursed  them  through  their 
uncertain  infancy,  and  placed  them  as  pleasant 
punctuation  points  on  the  dusty  highway. 

Perhaps  it  was  thus  that  the  parlour  fell  into 
disrepute,  for  in  Winter  it  was  too  cold  to  be  in- 
habited; the  door  was  kept  tightly  closed  and 
locked.  It  was  left  to  the  dust  and  damp  that  in 
our  minds  are  always  associated  with  it,  never  dis- 
turbed except  on  those  three  momentous  occasions 


GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH     11 

that  even  in  the  most  carefully  regulated  New 
England  family  are  comparatively  few  and  far 
between,  the  occasions  of  births,  marriages,  and 
deaths.  A  record  of  these  was  faithfully  kept 
in  the  massive  Bible  that  reposed  upon  the  table 
which  stood  in  the  exact  centre  of  this  sombre 
room  of  rooms. 

Before  the  Revolutionary  War  there  were  few 
elaborate  formal  gardens  in  America.  Undoubt- 
edly the  best  example  of  one  existing  to-day  with 
its  original  shapes  and  edgings  and  many  of  its 
minor  details  is  that  at  Mt.  Vernon,  the  home  of 
Washington,  near  Alexandria,  Virginia.  In  the 
year  1764  it  was  probably  the  most  elaborate 
pleasure  garden  in  the  Old  Dominion,  for  prior  to 
that  period  the  planters  had  not  been  given  to 
spending  either  much  time  or  money  upon  useless 
luxuries.  After  the  war,  however,  and  in  the 
early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  all  the  large 
estates  in  the  South  were  provided  with  pleasure 
grounds,  which  varied  in  size  and  elaborateness 
according  to  the  inclinations  and  pocket-books  of 
their  proprietors,  and  the  natural  features  of  the 
land.  All,  however,  were  upon  a  more  ambitious 


12  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

scale  and  aspired  to  more  grandeur  and  dignity 
than  the  gardens  of  New  England.  In  the  South 
vegetation  thrived  luxuriantly  and  new  and  ex- 
quisite forms  of  plant  life  were  frequently  dis- 
covered to  delight  the  heart  of  the  horticulturist, 
forms  that  would  not  thrive  in  the  bitter  cold  of 
the  Northland.  Slave  labour  was  plentiful  and 
cheap  and  was  at  the  command  of  the  planters  to 
carry  out  extravagant  feats  of  gardening;  thou- 
sands of  hands  could  be  spared  for  the  super- 
cultivation  of  the  myriads  of  flowers  and  shrubs, 
without  which  an  impressive  formal  garden  is 
impossible. 

There,  too,  the  tradition  of  entail  was  followed 
by  many  of  the  prominent  families,  so  that  an 
estate  remained  with  a  name  for  an  indefinite 
period,  generally  passing  to  the  eldest  son  as  in 
England.  This  was  merely  a  substantial  expres- 
sion of  the  Englishman's  deep-rooted  respect,  one 
might  say  superstition,  for  custom  which  became 
a  considerable  factor  in  many  Southern  gardens. 
They  were  made  not  only  for  the  enjoyment  of 
the  generation  then  in  existence,  but  planned  and 
planted  a  hundred  years  into  the  future. 


GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH     15 

The  ability  to  construct  and  plant  for  to-morrow 
as  well  as  to-day  is  one  of  the  most  important  at- 
tributes for  a  gardener  to  possess.  Sentiment  and 
respect  for  the  perfection  that  time  alone  can 
give  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  art  of  garden- 
designing;  and  refinement  of  touch  and  instinct 
for  colouring  are  as  important  to  the  gardener  as 
to  the  painter. 

Effects  of  wood  and  stone  and  brick,  the  shapes 
and  colours  of  hedges  and  screens,  of  boskets  and 
groves,  of  trees  and  parterres  of  flowers  in  the 
beauty  of  maturity  cannot  be  set  forth  on  paper, 
but  should  appear  correctly  and  vividly  to  the 
mind's  eye  of  the  designer,  just  as  if  they  existed 
and  lay  spread  out  shimmering  before  him.  Proj- 
ects of  designing  and  planting  should  be  approached 
with  the  question,  "How  will  they  appear  next 
Winter?  ten  years  hence,  when  the  tones  have  been 
softened  and  the  shapes  rounded  out  by  time?" 
which  the  gardener  should  be  able  to  answer  off- 
hand. 

Many  people  plant  in  the  Springtime  with  only 
the  following  Summer  in  view,  as  they  drill  vege- 
table seeds  into  the  kitchen  garden.  Or  they  ap- 


16  COMMON    SENSE     GARDENS 

peal  to  nurserymen  to  accomplish  in  a  few  weeks 
effects  that  Nature  would  consume  a  dozen  years 
in  producing  gradually.  It  is  painful  to  have  to 
acknowledge  nowadays  that  the  old  sentiments  of 
garden-making  are  utterly  disregarded  and  looked 
down  upon  with  curiosity  and  contempt  by  the 
ruling  disciples  of  Pluto,  whose  delight  it  is  to 
complete  things  in  a  single  night  by  the  waving 
of  a  golden  wand ;  miserable  moderns  who  live  and 
die  in  a  hurry. 

In  the  South  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century  garden-making  became  a  fad,  a  great 
craze  in  which  every  man  vied  with  his  neighbour 
to  produce  the  largest  and  handsomest  effects. 
Architects  were  brought  over  from  France  to 
make  plans  and  superintend  the  construction. 
Some  of  the  schemes  were  so  ambitious  that  they 
toppled  over  before  they  left  the  drawing-board. 
At  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  one  can  still  trace 
the  paths  and  avenues,  the  general  outline  and 
scheme  of  planting  of  a  garden  that  was  planned 
to  rival  the  garden  at  Versailles,  that  magnificent 
folly  of  Louis  XIV.  Many  gardens  were  laid  out 
or  partly  planted,  but  as  the  fad  faded  or  the 


GARDENS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  SOUTH    19 

impracticability  of  the  undertaking  was  realized 
they  were  left  to  the  passionate  embraces 
of  the  jungle,  which  quickly  swallowed  them 
up. 

The  men  and  women  who  conceived  these  many 
beautiful  closes,  arranged  their  walks  and  furnish- 
ings and  planted  their  hedges  and  borders,  craved 
the  best  examples  of  Chippendale,  Sheraton  and 
Hepple white,  and  imported  them  from  England 
to  adorn  the  interiors  of  their  homes.  Both  within 
and  without  those  stately  mansions  the  inherent 
breath  of  refinement  softly  throbbed. 

Many  of  those  old  gardens  are  in  existence  to- 
day very  much  as  they  were  originally  laid  out, 
especially  several  notable  gardens  in  Camden, 
South  Carolina,  and  vicinity,  that  were  made  about 
the  years  1830-35,  some  even  as  late  as  1850; 
others  exhibit  but  shreds  and  patches  of  their 
pristine  glory  and  are  kept  up  only  in  part  owing 
to  the  circumstances  of  their  proprietors,  or  to 
the  indifference  with  which  they  are  regarded  by 
the  families  into  whose  possession  they  have  come 
through  the  fortunes  of  war. 


CHAPTER  II 

A    COMMON    SENSE    GARDEN 

HE      most      ap- 

i 

propriate     garden 
for  a    small     house, 
or  for  a  moderately 
large     house      on     small 
grounds,    no     matter    in 
what    style    of    architec- 
ture it   may  be   built,  is  one  that  can 
best  be  described    as  a  cross  between 
the    formal  garden  of   the  South    and 
the  old  New  England   yard,  as  it  con- 
tains    features     of     both     judiciously 
blended.     The     formality    consists    of 
the  hedge    or    fence   enclosing  it,    the 
quite   formal  approach   and     the  gen- 
eral   plan   of    the   paths;    and  to  this 
is    added     in    the    way     of     planting 
the     half-wild,    unkempt    freedom    of 
the     New     England      cottage-garden; 
21 


22  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

and  in  a  garden  of  this  size  the  planting  of  the 
flowers,  the  filling  in  with  colours  is  a  very  impor- 
tant part.  Such  a  plan  carefully  carried  out, 
even  in  the  smallest  details  that  seem  unim- 
portant to  the  casual  eye,  and  under  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  owner,  will  produce  results  that  will 
more  nearly  approach  in  general  sentiment  the 
English  garden  of  to-day,  yesterday,  a  hundred 
years  since. 

In  a  short  time  such  a  garden  will  become  a 
thing  of  beauty  and  will  prove  a  joy  forever  to  the 
worker  therein,  for  it  is  to  the  intimate  friend  of 
the  flowers  that  the  joys  of  gardening  are  revealed, 
to  whom  the  confidences  of  the  Lily  and  the  Rose 
are  made.  Its  loveliness  will  increase  from  season 
to  season  as  Time  mellows  it  with  his  unapproach- 
able touch,  adding  colour  and  fulness  to  it  here 
and  there,  a  touch  which  the  hand  of  man  cannot 
counterfeit.  Flowers  are  so  much  more  beautiful 
when  growing  amid  congenial  surroundings,  so 
artificial  and  snobbish  when  cut  and  put  in  vases, 
or  potted  and  placed  in  the  corners  of  rooms  or 
on  tables  for  decoration.  Tennyson  would  never 
pluck  a  flower  and  could  not  bear  to  see  one 


Looking  down  into  the  Garden. 


A    COMMON    SENSE   GARDEN  25 

plucked;  such  desecration  produced  a  painful  im- 
pression on  his  mind  and  upset  him  for  days  after- 
wards. He  sought  flowers  in  their  own  retreats, 
and  perhaps  better  than  any  one  who  has  written 
did  he  understand  their  language. 

Such  a  garden  as  I  have  endeavoured  to  describe 
looks  neither  new  nor  garish  from  the  very  be- 
ginning, neither  does  it  ever  appear  ridiculous  or 
top-heavy  with  cheap  dignity  that  it  never  really 
possessed  except  on  paper,  or  in  someone's  imagi- 
nation. It  will  be  neither  a  French  garden  nor  a 
German,  nor  Dutch  nor  Italian  nor  even  English, 
although  it  will  show  many  influences  of  the  latter. 
It  will  possess  the  best  characteristics  of  Ameri- 
can gardens,  and  if  you  will  only  keep  the  gar- 
dener out  of  it  it  will  remain  a  garden  for  ever  and 
a  day. 

Why  do  not  people  give  more  thought  to  their 
gardens?  They  build  houses  and  go  extensively 
into  architecture,  especially  into  that  particular 
style,  or  combination  of  styles,  in  which  their  own 
house  is  designed,  yet  they  seem  to  think  that  a 
garden  is  just  merely  a  garden,  a  miscellaneous 
collection  of  flowers  and  colours  meant  principally 


26  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

to  pick  and  to  wear,  or  to  put  in  vases.  A  woman 
gives  a  great  deal  of  thought  to  the  decoration 
and  furnishing  of  the  rooms  of  her  house,  why 
not  to  the  garden,  which  is  also  a  room,  although 
she  can  never  be  made  to  believe  it?  It  should 
have,  and  generally  does  have,  more  importance 
in  connection  with  the  general  effect  of  the  house 
both  outside  and  inside — for  the  impression  one 
receives  of  the  exterior  is  carried  within  and  af- 
fects the  imagination  to  a  great  extent — than  any 
other  room. 

The  garden  is  generally  left  until  the  house  is 
nearly  if  not  quite  completed;  or  perhaps  planned 
in  a  vague  way.  By  that  time  the  owner's  pa- 
tience is  exhausted  and  his  finances  at  a  lower  ebb 
than  is  compatible  with  good  temper  and  peace  of 
mind.  The  garden  and  the  planting  of  it  are  left 
to  the  gardener,  who  on  small  estates  is  necessarily 
many  other  things  besides,  and  although  he  may 
be  very  successful  with  Cauliflowers  and  Mangels 
he  has  little  education  or  taste,  and  is  no  more 
capable  of  making  the  garden  than  furnishing  the 
hall. 

A  woman  will  be  dissolved  in  tears  and  indigna- 


A  New  Garden;  Spring. 


A    COMMON    SENSE    GARDEN  29 

tion  if  the  architect  neglects  to  confer  with  her 
about  the  trim  of  the  library  or  the  colour  of  the 
border  of  the  bathroom  tiling,  yet  she  will  order 
her  gardener  offhand  to  plant  the  garden  with 
Lilies  and  Roses  and  whatnots,  and  expect  the 
result  to  be  satisfactory  without  giving  it  further 
thought.  The  setting  of  the  garden  and  the  gar- 
den itself  are  as  necessary  to  the  house  as  a  front 
porch,  and  a  great  deal  more  necessary  than  a 
porte-cochere.  A  garden  is  meant  to  be  lived  in; 
it  can  be  made  to  reflect  the  character  of  the 
owner  as  much  as  a  living  room  or  boudoir.  The 
refinement  that  Washington  exhibited  in  laying 
out  the  numerous  paths  and  parterres  of  Mt. 
Yernon  and  in  planting  the  hedges  and  edgings, 
the  love  and  care  that  he  zealously  bestowed  upon 
his  flowers  and  shrubs  and  the  setting  out  of  his 
trees,  would  seem  to  be  the  best  inspiration  that 
an  amateur  of  to-day,  who  is  anxious  to  make  a 
garden,  and  to  preserve  the  best  traditions  of 
American  gardening,  could  seek  or  desire. 

The  garden  of  Washington,  however,  is  set  in 
a  frame  that  cannot  be  reproduced,  no  matter 
how  many  fortunes  the  designer  may  have  at  his 


30  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

command, — the  house,  the  forecourt  with  its 
quaint  gateway  the  numerous  outbuildings  un- 
usual and  picturesque  in  themselves,  the  connect- 
ing peristyles  that  match  perfectly  with  pathetic 
simplicity  the  architecture  of  the  main  building, 
the  location  on  a  thickly  wooded  bank  overhang- 
ing the  noble  river  whose  every  wavelet  lisps  of 
the  history  of  the  neighbouring  shores,  the  stately 
trees  that  have  reached  perfection  of  character 
and  symmetry  of  form  through  the  rounding  out 
of  many  years,  the  shrubs  that  have  become  pa- 
triarchs of  their  families,  and  above  all  the  serenity 
and  repose  that  are  natural  to  the  wild-wood  and 
foreign  to  thickly  populated  districts. 

This  park  and  the  neighbouring  park  of  Arling- 
ton, which  is  larger  than  that  of  Mt.  Vernon  and 
was  planted  on  a  much  more  liberal  scale,  are 
examples  that  every  student  of  gardening  should 
study  unceasingly.  At  Arlington  the  planting  of 
evergreen  trees  especially  was  most  successfully 
accomplished  and  one  may  there  learn  the  best 
uses  to  which  such  trees  can  be  put.  Nothing 
could  be  more  beautiful  than  the  grouping  and 
the  disposal  of  the  groups.  It  is  as  if  they  had 


Flowering  Almond  in  the  Garden-. 


A    COMMON     SENSE    GARDEN  33 

been  literally  painted  in  the  wooded  slopes  and 
dells,  so  softly  do  their  graceful  forms  and  chang- 
ing colours  blend  with  the  various  shapes  and 
shades  of  the  deciduous  trees  among  which  they 
are  set. 

At  Mt.  Vernon  the  paths  are  enclosed  with  Box 
hedges  and  the  parterres  are  edged  with  the  same 
bitter-sweet  shrub.  After  a  century  and  more  of 
growth  and  care  these  hedges  and  edgings  have 
reached  a  perfection  that  is  the  envy  and  despair 
of  every  would-be  gardener  who  views  them  for 
the  first  time. 

The  dominant  note  of  the  whole  enclosure  is 
Box.  Its  pungent  odour,  so  disagreeable  to  some 
people,  to  others  sweeter  than  all  the  perfumes 
of  Araby,  hangs  ever  on  the  air,  permeates  the 
farthermost  nooks  and  corners  with  its  memory- 
awakening  spell.  These  hedges  have  an  exas- 
perating smoothness  and  softness  of  colouring  that 
have  been  gradually  absorbed  from  the  suns  and 
snows  of  many  seasons  which  it  would  be  useless 
to  hope  to  reproduce  in  a  few  years. 

As  at  Mt.  Vernon,  so  the  yards  and  gardens  of 
New  England  were  dominated  by  this  matchless 


34  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

evergreen,  as  the  gardens  of  England  are  domi- 
nated by  the  Yew.  Planted  under  the  front  win- 
dows or  along  the  most  used  paths  it  gave  a  wel- 
come warmth  of  colour  to  the  bleak  landscape  of 
a  northern  Winter,  and  in  time  crept  into  the 
honoured  place  of  friend,  unchanging,  well-loved 
by  every  member  of  the  family.  Box  is  a  fa- 
miliar sight  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New  York 
where  it  was  extensively  used  by  the  Dutch;  and 
in  Philadelphia  by  the  English.  It  has  been  so 
prominent  in  gardens  the  world  over  that  it  should 
be  cherished  by  garden-makers  wherever  it  will 
grow,  and  no  one  should  be  deterred  from  planting 
it  by  the  thought  that  it  is  slow  of  growth  and  un- 
certain, for  it  is  uncertain  in  some  climates  and 
exposed  positions.  In  every  garden  an  altar  of 
Box  should  be  erected  where  the  votaries  of  Flora 
may  worship  and  lay  their  offerings  of  Rosemary 
and  Bay. 

Clipped  and  ornamental  Box  is  as  old  as  the 
Roman  hills.  During  the  first  century  it  was 
used  to  enclose  gardens,  to  edge  walks  and  to 
cover  alleys,  for  in  the  East  and  in  the  south  of 
Europe  it  grew  to  the  height  of  thirty  feet.  Pliny, 


A    COMMON   SENSE   GARDEN  37 

writing  to  Apollinaris  about  his  Tusculan  villa, 
describes  the  terrace  as  bounded  by  a  Box  hedge, 
from  whence  there  was  an  easy  slope  adorned  with 
Box  trees  cut  to  represent  various  animals;  and 
beyond,  a  circus  ornamented  in  the  middle  with  a 
Box  tree,  the  whole  framed  in  by  a  walk  covered 
with  Box  rising  by  different  stages  to  the  top. 
The  circus  survives  in  our  gardens  to-day  in  the 
round  bed  placed  at  the  intersection  of  two  paths. 
Out  of  respect  to  Pliny  let  us  ornament  it  in  the 
middle  with  a  Box  tree! 

Could  the  abundance  of  Box  during  the  early 
centuries  account  for  the  tricks  its  odour  plays 
the  memory  now?  It  is  said  often  to  recall  long- 
forgotten  incidents  of  childhood  vividly  to  mind 
in  middle  age;  and  wonderful  tales  have  been  re- 
lated of  the  power  of  its  perfume  suddenly  breathed 
to  present  to  the  mind  of  an  individual  of  one 
generation  events  that  had  happened  in  the  pre- 
ceding one,  and  of  which  he  had  never  heard. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  associations  of  Box 
are  mysterious  and  romantic  and  of  a  pleasing 
nature  to  those  who  are  fond  of  flowers. 

In  Pliny's  time  the  chief  gardener,  who  was  in 


38  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

reality  a  sculptor  of  trees,  was  known  as  the 
"topiarius,"  and  under  his  supervision  the  scena 
of  those  elaborate  retreats  were  planned,  and 
eventually  shaped  by  his  skilful  shears.  The 
clipped  screens  and  hedges  were  used  as  back- 
grounds for  the  sculptured  shrubs  which  were  the 
main  features  in  those  gardens  where  the  culti- 
vated flowers  were  few. 


CHAPTER    III 

THE    GARDEN    ENCLOSURE 


|JTT^^^HE   early   English 
;£;:  gardens    were    en- 

51  closed  by  high  walls 

83  JL.  of  brick  or  stone  and 
often  surrounded  by  a  moat. 
If  such  materials  were  not 
available  Osier  fences  were 
used  instead  or  pickets  painted  green. 
Privet,  Box  and  Yew  were  used  for 
hedges,  allowed  to  grow  from  eight  to  ten 
feet  high,  and  kept  carefully  clipped  and 
trimmed.  American  gardens  have  rarely 
been  enclosed  by  high  walls,  except  in 
cities  and  towns  where  it  was  necessary 
to  screen  some  objectionable  object,  or 
where  proximity  to  the  traffic  of  the  street 
interfered  with  the  privacy  that  a  garden 
should  primarily  possess.  The  idea  of 
high-walled  seclusion  is  foreign  to  this 


40  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

country  and  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  freedom  one 
is  supposed  to  breathe  under  its  radiant  sun  and 
soft  blue  sky. 

The  flower  garden,  however,  should  be  defi- 
nitely bounded  and  at  least  partly  enclosed  if  not 
actually  walled  or  hedged  in.  The  word  garden 
is  derived  from  the  old  English  garth,  which  means 
enclosure.  Natural  boundaries  such  as  old  walls, 
banks,  terraces,  ponds  or  brooks  should  be  re- 
tained and  worked  into  the  plan,  as  they  are 
desirable  features.  Supplement  these  by  hedges, 
walls  of  stone  or  brick,  fences,  groups  of  trees  or 
shrubs  and  screens  to  complete  the  form  of  en- 
closure. Plant  the  trees  and  shrubs  in  a  senii- 
formal  manner,  but  do  not  use  any  exaggerated 
formal  effects  on  small  grounds  as  they  destroy 
the  harmony  that  should  exist  between  house  and 
garden.  Landscape  gardeners  endeavour  to  pro- 
duce imposing  vistas  and  counterfeit  perspective 
in  a  small  area,  which  is  too  suggestive  of  the 
theatre  to  be  acceptable  to  anyone  who  cares  in 
the  least  for  Nature.  There  should  not  be  anything 
unnatural  or  over-conventional  about  the  com- 
mon sense  garden.  For  that  reason  geometrical 


THE    GARDEN    ENCLOSURE  .  43 

parterres,  intricate  and  bewildering  to  the  eye, 
should  be  avoided,  as  they  present  a  miniature, 
toylike  appearance  that  belittles  the  house.  The 
planting  of  such  parterres  is  characterless,  too,  and 
is  only  for  colour  in  carpet  effects  which  should 
be  very  large  to  be  at  all  imposing  as  decorations. 
An  exception  to  such  parterres  might  be  made 
when  the  miniature  garden  is  between  the  house 
and  a  broad  river  or  other  large  body  of  water 
beyond  which  the  opposite  shore  is  visible,  where 
an  extensive  panorama  lies  spread  out.  The  eye 
then  engages  an  unlimited  prospect  and  is  so  in- 
fluenced by  the  broadness  of  the  surroundings 
that  it  does  not  notice  the  insignificant  appear- 
ance of  the  garden  that  otherwise  would  seem 
small  and  mean.  Such  a  garden  then  becomes  an 
incident  not  a  feature.  Even  then  the  beds  should 
not  be  made  too  small  and  complicated,  or  they 
will  be  hard  to  plant  effectively. 

If  the  house  is  situated  in  an  empty  lot  or  field, 
that  is  to  say  one  that  is  quite  bare  of  trees  or 
shrubs,  make  the  garden  enclosure  of  the  mate- 
rial that  you  think  would  conform  best  to  the 
design  and  colour  of  the  house  and  which  at  the 


44  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

same  time  is  convenient  to  use.  With  half-tim- 
bered work  brick  composes  well ;  with  stucco,  stone 
or  brick ;  with  an  old  frame  house  or  one  of  colonial 
design,  white  pickets  or  white  pickets  on  a  low 
brick  wall,  a  combination  much  used  in  the  South 
and  a  very  pleasing  one ;  or  with  any  of  the  above- 
mentioned  designs  a  hedge  of  Privet,  Hemlock  or 
Box,  or  a  hedge  combined  with  a  fence  or  wall. 
A  little  thought,  with  perhaps  the  aid  of  a  tem- 
porary section  of  enclosure,  will  enable  you  to 
determine  the  most  appropriate  materials  or  com- 
binations if  you  are  unable  to  focus  well  your 
mind's  eye,  and  any  consideration  of  this  most 
important  subject  will  be  well  repaid. 

For  such  a  garden  a  setting  will  have  to  be  made 
by  planting  good  trees,  trees  that  will  be  beautiful 
and  interesting  in  Winter  when  divested  of  their 
foliage  as  well  as  in  Summer  when  in  their  full- 
fledged  glory.  These  should  be  set  out  both  in 
relation  to  the  house  and  garden,  and  the  neces- 
sary shading  and  filling  in  given  with  evergreens 
and  shrubs,  not  set  in  stiff,  unsightly  clumps  like 
old-fashioned  bouquets,  but  used  intelligently  both 
as  to  form  and  colour;  single  specimens  or  two  or 


THE    GARDEN    ENCLOSURE  47 

three  together  in  modulated  groups.  Do  not  try 
to  out-nature  Nature,  however,  by  building  up  a 
diversified  landscape  on  your  two  or  three  acre 
demesne,  after  the  manner  of  the  late  lamented 
school  of  landscape  gardeners,  for  artificial  moun- 
tains, valleys,  cliffs,  cascades  and  gorges  only  look 
well  in  menageries  when  inhabited  by  wild  beasts; 
such  efforts  fail  utterly  to  either  beautify  or  im- 
prove. On  a  small  estate  the  more  harmony  that 
exists  between  the  house  and  garden,  the  more 
one  fits  imperceptibly  into  the  other,  the  more 
one  seems  absolutely  necessary  to  the  other,  just 
so  much  more  success  you  may  be  sure  you  have 
achieved.  Harmony  is  the  keynote  that  should 
forever  be  ringing  in  your  ears. 

Sunken  gardens,  deliberately  sunken  ones,  that 
is  to  say  deep  pits  dug  in  level  ground  and  not 
depending  upon  any  natural  features  of  the  land 
for  their  sunken  condition  or  appearance  are  quite 
meaningless,  except  perhaps  in  a  large  park  or 
system  of  gardens  where  they  might  find  a  place 
as  examples  of  a  type.  They  are  conspicuous  on 
account  of  their  freakishness,  which  is  a  charac- 
teristic that  should  be  avoided  in  small  gardens. 


48  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

There  is  no  more  reason  for  digging  a  pit  in  the 
ground  in  which  to  plant  flowers  than  there  is  for 
building  a  platform  several  feet  high  on  which  to 
lay  out  a  garden.  Simplicity  is  above  all  things 
important  on  a  small  place,  simplicity  both  in 
planning  and  planting;  few  furnishings  but  good 
ones;  not  many  plants  but  the  very  best  varieties 
and  colours  of  those  you  use.  Give  play  to  the 
same  instincts  and  tastes  that  you  would  employ 
in  furnishing  and  decorating  an  important  room 
of  your  house. 

The  habit  of  tacking  on  Italian  gardens  to 
houses  of  nondescript  style,  or  to  those  of  Colonial, 
Gothic  or  English-cottage  design  is  one  that  is 
apt  to  put  the  neighbourhood  for  a  considerable 
radius  out  of  tune.  The  idea  is  not  artistic.  One 
comes  upon  colonies  of  houses,  often  handsome, 
elaborate  houses  built  on  an  acre  or  two  of  land, 
which  are  overburdened  with  gardens  supposed  to 
be  Italian  in  style,— gardens  that  are  cluttered 
up  with  all  sorts  of  continental  refuse  placed  gen- 
erally without  meaning;  antique  garden  furnish- 
ings and  bad  reproductions  purchased  abroad  for 
large  sums  to  give  "colour"  and  "atmosphere" 


THE    GARDEN    ENCLOSURE  51 

to  these  bedizened  back  yards,  and  which  only 
serve  to  call  attention  to  the  bad  taste  of  the 
owners.  In  this  class  of  garden  which  is  becom- 
ing more  common  every  year  because  it  is  the 
"fashion,"  a  pergola  is  conspicuous,  in  fact  it 
is  a  sort  of  hall-mark  without  which  none  is  con- 
sidered genuine. 

Italian  pergolas  are  good  things  to  avoid  in 
common  sense  gardens.  Do  not  connect  the  gar- 
den and  the  house  by  one,  nor  let  one  lean  famil- 
iarly up  against  the  wall  of  the  mansion.  A  per- 
gola should  not  be  built  in  the  flower  garden  at 
all  unless  it  is  in  the  shape  of  a  small,  simple 
arbour,  and  then  only  if  you  intend  to  smother  it 
quickly  with  Honeysuckles  or  Roses.  Such  Rose 
pergolas  are  common  in  English  gardens  where 
climbing  Roses  flourish  exceedingly,  but  they  are 
always  placed  where  they  have  some  meaning ;  as  a 
dividing  line  between  the  flower  garden  and  the 
kitchen  garden ;  or  at  the  end  of  a  path  ;  or  as  an 
approach  to  a  terrace  or  a  plantation. 

There  is  a  pergola  at  Arlington,  near  Washing- 
ton, which  matches  in  its  proportions  the  house, 
a  massive  structure  of  classic  design.  This  per- 


52  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

gola  is  a  most  elaborate  affair  and  is  very  beauti- 
ful. It  would  not  look  as  well  anywhere  else, 
and  time  has  added  greatly  to  its  beauty.  The 
vines,  for  the  most  part  Wistaria  and  Grape,  have 
developed  into  enormous  fantastic  growths  that 
have  completely  entwined  the  pillars  and  beams 
of  this  great  structure.  If  it  was  an  adjunct  to 
any  house  except  this  bepillared  classic  hall  it 
would  look  out  of  place  and  ineffective.  Perhaps 
it  is  more  appropriate  to-day  in  the  grounds  of  a 
National  Cemetery  than  anywhere  else  that  it 
could  be  put. 

In  Central  Park,  New  York,  there  are  several 
rustic  pergolas  on  which  Wistaria  has  been  trained, 
and  their  effect  in  Springtime  is  enchanting. 
There  used  to  be  one  at  least  a  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  long  that  spanned  the  bridle-path  where  it 
runs  beside  the  West  drive  not  far  below  Mc- 
Gowan's  Pass.  After  a  few  days  of  blooming 
the  ground  beneath  the  vines  would  become  com- 
pletely covered  with  the  purple  petals  that  every 
zephyr  sent  fluttering  downwards  in  a  twinkling 
shower.  The  combination  of  the  delicate  colour- 
ing of  the  many  graceful  clusters,  and  the  fresh 


THE    GARDEN    ENCLOSURE  55 

green  of  the  surrounding  trees  was  enchanting  for 
the  few  days  it  lasted.  The  writer  of  these  lines 
has  never  forgotten  the  fairylike  impression  that 
this  pergola  made  upon  his  mind  when  as  a  very 
small  boy  he  used  to  canter  through  it  on  his  pony 
of  an  early  May  morning.  These  rustic  pergolas 
were  in  a  public  park  and  were  built  when  rustic 
work  was  much  in  vogue;  there  is  no  excuse  for 
using  them  anywhere  now. 

Small  Italian  gardens  are  not  effective  and  should 
never  be  used  unless  the  house  is  in  the  Italian 
style.  Most  of  the  Italian  gardens  one  sees  are 
shams,  pretending  to  be  something  that  they  are 
not  and  never  will  be.  The  old  gardens  cannot 
be  reproduced  in  miniature;  the  modern  ones  are 
enormously  expensive  and  cover  many  acres  of 
ground.  Beautiful  effects  that  are  natural  in  Italy 
are  badly  imitated  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New 
York,  so  that  the  result  reminds  one  of  a  scene 
in  a  comic  opera.  Italian  gardens  need  space, 
long  avenues  of  trees,  vistas  of  mountains,  topiary 
work  that  cannot  be  reproduced  here;  their  fur- 
nishings are  marble  fountains  elaborately  carved, 
vases,  beautiful  statues,  colonnades  and  flights  of 


56  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

steps;  and  above  all  is  the  colouring  of  landscape 
and  sky  and  foliage,  a  semi-tropical  note  that  can- 
not be  imported  and  set  up  like  a  sun-dial  or  box 
of  flowers. 

In  America  one  associates  such  theatrical  pleas- 
ure grounds  with  the  over-rich,  or  with  men  of  new 
wealth  who  seize  upon  every  opportunity  to  call 
attention  to  their  riches.  In  Italy  the  man  of 
modest  means  does  not  have  a  flower  garden;  he 
is  quite  satisfied  with  Nature's  garden  that  lies 
spread  out  ever  before  his  appreciative  gaze  in  a 
mist  of  dazzling  colours,  exhaling  the  softest  per- 
fumes. In  England,  where  garden-making  and 
garden-planting  have  been  an  art  for  centuries,  the 
Italian  garden  is  let  severely  alone.  True  garden- 
lovers  are  never  satisfied  with  make-believe 
gardens. 


CHAPTER  IV 

LAYING    OUT   THE    GARDEN 

HE  garden  may  be 
in  the  front  or  the 
back  of  the  house  or 
at  the  side  of  it ;  or  if 
none  of  these  situations  is 
available   it    may  be    laid 
out   some   distance    away, 
but  should  be  connected  with  the  house 
by  a  direct  path  enclosed  with  a  fence 
or  hedge,  preferably  a  hedge.     For,  as  a 
garden  is  a  part  of  the  house,  it  should 
be  easily  accessible  from  it  at  all  times, 
and  should  be  visible  from  some  of  the 
principal  rooms.     Then   it  may  be  en- 
joyed on  a  rainy  day  or  in  Winter,  or  in 
the  early  Springtime  when  frost  is  still 
in  the  air  but  the  tender  green  shoots  of 
the  Iris  are  gently  pushing  through  the 

ground,  and  Snowdrop  and  Crocus  are 
57 


58  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

sprinkling  the  brown  earth  with  their  welcome 
bloom.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  the  garden  con- 
nected with  the  front  or  back  porch,  or  with  the 
piazza,  or  even  better  to  have  the  floor  of  the 
piazza  flush  with  the  garden  path,  or  with  a  grass 
terrace  from  whence  a  few  steps  will  lead  you  into 
the  garden.  A  good  formula  for  the  size  of  the 
garden  is  "half  as  wide  as  it  is  long." 

Sunlight  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the  health 
of  the  majority  of  flowers,  so  that  a  sunny  posi- 
tion should  be  chosen  for  the  garden  if  luxuriance 
and  brilliance  of  bloom  are  to  be  looked  for. 
There  is  nothing  quite  so  disheartening  as  trying 
to  coax  flowers  to  bloom  in  semi-shade.  It  is 
well  if  the  garden  is  so  situated  that  for  a  short 
time  at  least  in  the  morning  every  nook  and  cor- 
ner will  be  penetrated  by  the  clear,  health-giving 
sunlight,  for  such  a  mild  tonic  is  not  injurious  to 
even  shade-loving  plants,  and  its  benefits  cannot 
be  overestimated.  Sunlight  seems  to  be  essential 
to  the  most  cheerful  forms  of  both  plant  and  ani- 
mal life,  and  can  be  replaced  by  nothing  else. 

If  space  permits,  and  there  is  a  shady  corner,  it 
is  a  good  thing  to  have  a  garden  house  or  a  bench 


Privet  Hedge  around  Garden;  Pin  Oaks  in  Background. 


LAYING  OUT  THE  GARDEN  61 

built  where  one  may  read  and  sew  and  entertain 
one's  friends  at  tea,  for  tea  is  always  more  at- 
tractive in  company  with  the  flowers.  For  some 
plants  shade  is  necessary,  as  Lily-of-the-valley 
which  thrives  under  the  trees  and  soon  carpets 
the  ground  with  its  silvery  green  leaves.  It  is  a 
great  temptation  to  the  lover  of  flowers  to  repro- 
duce the  bloom  of  every  plant  that  attracts  at- 
tention in  neighbouring  gardens,  a  temptation  that 
often  leads  to  dire  confusion  of  colours  and  forms 
and  produces  bizarre  effects  that  it  would  be  bet- 
ter to  exclude  from  a  small  garden.  The  atmos- 
phere of  the  common  sense  garden  should  be  soft, 
subdued,  suggestive  of  peace  to  both  the  mind 
and  the  eye. 

The  beginner  would  do  well  to  start  with  com- 
paratively few  plants,  and  when  he  has  thor- 
oughly mastered  the  cultivation  of  these,  when 
he  knows  their  whims  and  idiosyncrasies  and  can 
anticipate  their  wants  and  supply  their  needs,  he 
may  take  up  others,  add  to  his  repertoire  as  it 
were.  He  will  surely  find  out  that  there  are  some 
flowers  which  grow  in  the  gardens  of  his  neigh- 
bours like  weeds  but  with  which  he  can  not  sue- 


62  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

ceed.  This  rule,  however,  works  both  ways,  and 
he  will  succeed  with  some  that  require  much  care 
and  attention  when  his  neighbours  fail.  It  is 
better  to  give  up  the  obstinate  ones  for  a  time  at 
least,  although  the  idea  of  defeat  may  be  miwel- 
come;  there  are  enough  flowers  to  go  'round. 

Turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  nurseryman  and  even  to 
your  dearest  friend  if  he  would  dissuade  you  from 
edging  the  paths  of  your  garden  with  Box,  for  in 
your  heart  of  hearts  you  know  that  there  is  noth- 
ing better  for  the  purpose  than  the  little  plant 
that  has  stood  the  test  for  so  many  hundred  years. 
Besides,  there  is  nothing  else  that  will  do.  There 
is  certainly  nothing  more  typical,  nothing  more 
eloquently  redolent  of  the  old  garden.  When  the 
enclosure  is  made  and  the  paths  laid  out  and  edged 
with  Box,  the  garden  is  finished,  except  for  the 
planting  of  the  flowers ;  but  if  it  were  never  edged 
with  Box  it  would  never  be  finished,  no  matter 
how  many  flowers  were  planted  nor  how  brilliantly 
they  bloomed.  And  i;  the  flowers  never  were 
planted  you  would  enjoy  it  as  it  was,  as  you  will 
see  it  many  months  of  the  year. 

Box  edging  is  easy   to   transplant   and   grows 


LAYING  OUT  THE  GARDEN          65 

quite  rapidly.  Although  for  the  first  year  or  so 
after  setting  out  it  may  be  slightly  Winter-scarred 
in  this  locality  (New  York)  it  will  recuperate 
quickly  and  be  made  more  stocky  by  the  experi- 
ence. By  the  middle  of  May  one  may  be  sure  to 
see  it  vividly  green — and  is  there  any  green  more 


Old  Box  Hedge 

refreshing  than  the  new  green  of  Box  ? — and  if 
only  three  or  four  inches  high  it  will  mark  out  at- 
tractively the  patterns  of  the  paths  and  beds. 
The  plants  used  for  this  purpose  are  raised  in 
Holland  and  Belgium  and  are  a  dwarf  variety  of 
Bnxus  scmpcrvircns .  It  is  better  if  possible  to 
use  stock  that  has  been  at  least  one  W.nter  in 
this  country,  but  if  you  cannot  find  this,  set  out 
the  edging  in  the  Spring  as  soon  as  it  arrives  from 


66  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

the  other  side,  and  plant  it  in  good  black  loam, 
watching  it  carefully  to  see  that  it  does  not  dry 
out.  Edging  may  be  propagated  very  handily  from 
an  old  hedge  that  has  been  neglected  and  allowed 
to  go  to  pieces,  being  useful  for  nothing  else  and 
only  an  eyesore.  Such  a  hedge  can  generally  be 
had  for  the  asking,  and  of  course  the  plants  raised 
from  it  would  be  perfectly  hardy  and  very  cheap. 
Box  is  a  very  greedy  feeder  and  should  be  ferti- 
lized continually  if  health  and  vigour  are  expected 
to  be  shown.  A  top  dressing  at  least  every  Fall 
is  necessary,  and  a  mulch  of  well-rotted  manure 
in  the  Spring  is  an  excellent  thing.  Many  edgings 
become  starved  out,  turn  yellow  and  die  because 
they  have  not  sufficient  nourishment.  That  is 
why  so  many  edgings  in  old  gardens  look  so  patchy, 
so  scarred.  The  soil  is  unable  to  nourish  the  plants, 
being  used  up  and  not  having  received  any  en- 
richment for  many  years.  If  you  will  water  your 
Box  plants  with  manure  water  of  the  colour  of 
strong  tea  every  ten  days  or  two  weeks  during 
Summer  you  will  find  that  they  will  be  much 
strengthened  against  the  rigours  of  Winter,  in  fact 
that  they  will  not  be  Winter-killed  as  many  people 


LAVING    OUT   THE    GARDEN  67 

complain.  Do  not  trim  the  edging  at  all  the  first 
season  after  setting  out,  but  the  following  Spring 
before  it  begins  to  grow  give  it  a  good  clipping. 
It  makes  a  second  growth  later  in  the  season. 

The  beauty  of  a  new  garden  and  its  surround- 
ings may  be  much  enhanced  and  the  illusion  of 


Old  Box 

age  heightened  by  planting  old  Box  and  Lilacs, 
two  shrubs  that  were  much  in  evidence  in  the 
New  England  yards,  and  that  were  great  favour- 
ites in  the  more  formal  gardens  of  the  South.  If 
these  are  used,  however,  care  should  be  taken  to 
place  them  where  they  obviously  belong,  where 


68  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

one  finds  them  in  old  gardens  and  yards,  and  not 
to  scatter  them  indiscriminately  about  the  grounds. 
Box  was  planted  at  the  foot  of  the  front  porch 
steps,  although  this  position,  especially  in  New 
England  where  formality  was  not  much  followed, 
was  often  preempted  by  the  Lilacs.  At  the  cor- 
ners of  the  beds  in  the  garden  and  in  the  round 
bed  at  the  intersection  of  two  paths  it  seems 
very  much  at  home.  Hedges  of  Box  were  planted 
along  the  front  yard  paths  and  on  the  tops  of  re- 
taining walls  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
house,  along  walks  leading  to  the  kitchen  garden 
and  as  screens  around  back  and  side  porches. 

Lilacs  were  used  to  a  great  extent  as  screens, 
too,  and  planted  behind  walls  along  the  roads  and 
lanes  where  they  were  allowed  to  grow  into  high, 
un trimmed  hedges.  A  few  stately  specimens  were 
to  be  found  shading  the  well  kerb;  and  there  were 
clumps  before  the  front  windows  of  the  dwellings 
where  the  fragrant  clusters  often  swung  in  at  the 
second  story  casements.  Varieties  of  the  com- 
mon Lilac  (Syringa  vulgaris  are  the  ones  usually 
seen  and  they  are  the  best  Lilacs  to  use  to-day  for 
a  good,  substantial  Lilac  effect.  Many  of  the  new 


Lilacs  behind  an  Old  Wall. 


LAYING  OUT  THE  GARDEN          71 

French  varieties  produce  beautiful  flowers  but  they 
look  less  like  Lilacs,  the  tendency  being  to  improve 
a  flower  out  of  all  likeness  to  its  old  form.  Hy- 
bridizing has  played  havoc  with  sentiment  and 
tradition.  The  new  varieties  are  less  sturdy  and 
vigorous  than  the  old ;  and  are  of  less  use  in  a  real 
garden.  When  purchasing  Lilacs  from  the  nursery 
be  sure  to  get  those  grown  on  their  own  roots,  for 
most  of  the  new  stock  both  here  and  in  Europe 
is  budded  on  Privet  and  is  worthless,  as  it  only 
lives  a  few  years.  This  is  done  to  gain  time  and 
save  money,  and  is  a  good  example  of  the  modern 
way  of  doing  things  in  a  hurry. 

White  Lilacs  grow  into  large  trees  and  are  ex- 
tremely picturesque  with  their  fascinating  clusters 
of  highly  scented  flowers.  Although  at  an  ad- 
vanced age  these  trees  present  a  somewhat  gaunt 
and  scraggly  appearance,  they  are  perhaps  more 
suggestive  of  antiquity  than  anything  else  that 
we  can  put  in  the  yard,  always  excepting  Box. 
Hardly  a  house  was  built  in  New  England,  or  in 
Westchester  County  up  to  the  middle  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  or  even  later,  that  did  not  have 
a  clump  of  Lilacs  planted  within  sight  of  the  win- 


72  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

clows.  When  driving  through  the  country  one 
often  comes  upon  isolated  bushes  or  groups  of 
Lilacs  far  from  any  habitation ;  but  a  little  explo- 
ration will  always  reveal  the  ruins  of  a  house,  the 
old  well  or  the  cellar,  perhaps  only  a  retaining 
wall  with  Lilacs  growing  cheerfully  from  its  top 
or  out  of  its  joints. 

Large  Lilac  bushes  are  easily  transplanted,  for 
they  are  shallow  rooted.  When  nurserymen  wish 
to  force  them  they  dig  up  good  specimens  from 
the  nursery  and  place  them  in  some  out-of-the- 
way  corner  of  the  greenhouse,  throwing  any  old 
rubbish  that  is  handy  over  their  roots,  sphagnum 
or  a  shovel  or  two  of  compost.  I  have  seen  them 
blooming  luxuriantly  standing  practically  uncov- 
ered on  the  floor  of  the  potting  shed.  When  their 
flowers  are  all  gathered  they  are  put  back  in  the 
nursery,  but  do  not  bloom  again  for  two  years. 
When  looking  for  old  Lilacs  care  should  be  taken 
to  select  sound  specimens,  and  even  a  certain 
amount  of  size  may  be  well  sacrificed  to  this  end. 


CHAPTER  V 

A    FEW    GOOD    TREES 


I 


F  you  have  not  enough 
confidence  to  lay  out 
the  grounds  and  gar- 
den yourself,  consult 
a  garden  architect  of  good 
reputation,  one  whose  work 
you  have  seen  and  know  to 
approach  more  or  less  to  your  ideal;  but 
do  not  let  him  do  more  than  offer  a  few 
suggestions  at  a    time    concerning    the 
points   about  which   you    are   most   in 
doubt.     Otherwise  you  will  probably  be- 
come inextricably  confused  and  your  gar- 
den will  lose  the  individuality  that  should 
be  absorbed  directly  from  yourself,  and 
lacking  which  it  will  become  very  much 
the  same  as  ten  thousand  other  gardens 
that  have  been  turned  out  at  so  much  the 

square  foot  or  yard.     The  architect  will 
73 


74  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

be  useful  in  suggesting  the  shape  of  the  garden 
and  the  best  materials  to  use  for  the  enclosure,  and 
he  may  be  better  able  than  you  to  see  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  natural  features  of  the  land,  because 
his  eye  is  trained  to  such  work  and  is  ever  on  the 
alert.  Do  not  follow  his  suggestions  about  plant- 
ing, however,  but  do  that  the  first  year  at  least 
yourself. 

In  a  garden  of  the  kind  under  consideration  too 
much  conventionality  should  be  avoided.  The 
formality  will  blend  with  the  semi-wild  planting 
of  the  garden  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  be 
absorbed.  Your  own  ideas  of  colour  and  mate- 
rial will  have  full  play,  just  as  in  the  furnishing  of 
any  other  room  of  your  house  where  the  formal 
background  of  walls,  windows,  trim,  mantelpiece 
and  so  forth,  only  serve  as  a  setting  for  your  in- 
dividual taste  in  hangings,  pictures,  rugs  and 
chairs,  to  say  nothing  of  the  minor  ornaments. 
If  the  same  room  were  left  to  a  decorator  to  "do" 
in  the  style  of  Louis  XV  or  of  Charles  I  the  result 
would  doubtless  be  very  correct,  but  it  would  also 
be  very  conventional,  and  you  would  never  feel 
much  at  home  in  it,  unless  you  were  in  a  con- 


A    FEW    C.OOD    TREKS  77 

ventional  mood  and  arrayed  like  Solomon  in  at 
least  part  of  his  glory.  Such  a  room  would  really 
be  out  of  place  in  the  ordinary  house,  in  any  house 
of  modest  proportions. 

Architects,  garden  and  otherwise  have  a  way  of 
talking  their  clients  into  doing  or  allowing  them 
to  do  many  things  that  the  clients  do  not  desire; 
it  is  part  of  their  profession  and  the  more  lan- 
guages they  can  use  the  more  successful  they  are. 
Unless  your  own  taste  is  entirely  lacking  it  is  well 
to  have  it  reflected  to  &  certain  extent  in  your 
home.  You  may  spend  much  time  in  explaining 
your  ideas  to  an. architect,  and  he  will  listen  at- 
tentively and  say  ajust  so;"  and  "I  grasp  your 
feeling  exactly;"  and  then  he  will  go  off  and  carry 
out  his  own  ideas  for  which  you  have  to  pay.  In 
garden-making  it  is  much  better  to  be  responsible 
for  your  own  failures,  to  be  able  to  take  advantage 
of  your  own  experiences.  If  you  are  not  satisfied 
with  the  way  the  flowers  look  the  first  year,  dig 
them  up  and  start  again.  You  will  have  twice 
as  much  fun  and  in  the  end  the  solidest  sort  of 
satisfaction. 

Before   planting  trees  and   shrubs  you  should 


78  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

study  every  available  position  at  different  times 
of  the  day — in  the  fresh  morning  sunlight,  in  the 
glare  of  midday,  in  the  softer  lights  of  afternoon 
and  at  twilight,  even  in  the  light  of  the  moon. 
Do  not  be  in  too  much  of  a  hurry  to  plant,  even  if 
trees  and  shrubs  are  conspicuous  by  their  absence 
and  your  eyes  are  hungry  for  the  cool,  umbrageous 
green  of  rustling  leaves;  it  is  much  better  to  make 
haste  slowly.  In  the  course  of  time  you  will  come 
to  know  many  places  where  you  are  sure  that 
trees  should  be  placed,  and  you  will  have  decided 
upon  the  varieties  that  can  be  used  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage. Stake  out  these  spots,  and  after  study- 
ing the  locations  from  different  points  of  your 
grounds  in  relation  to  adjoining  conspicuous  ob- 
jects, such  as  the  windmill  of  your  neighbour  or 
his  stable  or  house,  you  will  change  the  stakes 
many  times,  and  stakes  are  much  easier  to  trans- 
plant than  trees.  Note  well  the  aspect  of  the  sur- 
roundings in  Winter,  as  well  as  in  Spring  when  the 
leaves  are  beginning  to  burst  from  their  buds  and 
the  quivering,  pinkish  green  of  the  first  awakening 
is  in  the  air;  and  later  on  when  Nature  is  more 
decorously  clad  in  her  high-neck  Summer  gown. 


White  Oak  and  Spruce. 


A    FEW    GOOD    TREES  8.1 

If  one  can  afford  to  it  is  better  to  plant  a  few 
well-developed,  shapely  trees  and  shrubs  than  to 
bunch  together  a  hundred  or  so  insignificant 
nurselings  that  will  take  years  to  develop  into  any 
degree  of  perfection,  and  then  will  have  to  be 
moved.  Of  course  it  is  more  difficult  and  expen- 
sive to  procure  such  material  and  to  transplant 
it,  but  the  trouble  and  expense  are  worth  while, 
for  your  yard  and  garden  will  soon  attain  a  dis- 
tinction that  is  denied  to  the  majority  of  parvenu 
villas. 

The  best  trees  to  use  for  a  groundwork  of  plant- 
ing are  those  that  are  indigenous  to  that  part  of 
the  country  in  which  your  estate  lies,  the  trees 
that  are  identified  with  your  particular  locality 
or  county.  If  your  grounds  are  bare  of  large 
trees  there  will  probably  be  some  on  the  adjoining 
properties,  or  along  the  road,  that  will  benefit  you 
by  framing  your  place  in.  Plant  up  to  these  and 
you  will  find  that  native  trees  look  more  at  home 
and  thrive  better  than  exotics.  Your  greatest  en- 
deavour should  be  to  make  the  house  and  grounds 
look  as  if  they  were  meant  to  be  lived  in  and  en- 
joyed; that  is  the  way  even  the  smallest  estates 


82  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

in  England  appear.  Display  should  always  be 
subservient  to  simplicity  and  common  sense. 
Americans  have  learnt  how  to  build  livable  houses; 
the  art  of  building  livable  gardens  will  be  appre- 
ciated in  time,  once  the  old,  natural  instincts  are 
awakened. 

Do  not  cut  down  any  trees  with  which  your 
grounds  may  be  blessed  until  you  have  to,  and 
guard  zealously  those  near  the  house  or  they  will 
be  ruined  by  the  builder.  In  fact  it  is  safer  to 
make  some  sort  of  contract  with  him  concerning 
the  trees,  for  otherwise  he  will  not  be  interested 
in  their  welfare,  and  if  a  limb  should  so  much  as 
graze  the  face  of  one  of  his  carpenters  the  fellow 
will  be  sure  to  chop  it  down,  and  you  may  go  hang. 
The  best  way  to  do  is  to  box  them  strongly  as  high 
up  as  the  branches  will  allow  Great  care  should 
be  taken  with  the  Cedars,  for  their  picturesque 
beauty  or  the  formality  of  their  outlines  can  be 
utterly  ruined  by  the  loss  of  one  or  two  branches; 
and  Cedar  trees  cannot  be  replaced  in  a  hundred 
years. 

The  most  valuable  trees  are  those  that  are 
beautiful  in  Winter  as  well  as  in  Summer;  those 


A    FEW    GOOD    TREES  83 

that  show  their  character  in  their  massive  limbs 
and  unrestrained  habits  of  growth,  that  stand  out 
against  the  melancholy  skyline  of  November  as 
pleasingly  in  their  grey  and  brown  habiliments  as 
in  Midsummer  when  swathed  in  the  softest  greens, 
those  trees  in  fact  that  have  particular  features 
to  recommend  them  and  that  are  not  in  the  least 
like  shrubs. 

In  these  days  people  spend  much  of  their  time 
in  the  country,  and  it  is  becoming  customary  for 
those  owning  houses  out  of  the  city  to  live  in 
them  until  the  New  Year,  and  return  to  them 
early  in  the  Spring.  Trees  are  in  full  leaf  for  a  com- 
paratively few  months  so  that  a  good  deal  of  dis- 
crimination should  be  exercised  in  planting,  more 
than  was  necessary  a  few  years  ago  when  the 
country  house  was  only  occupied  from  June  until 
October.  Looking  at  this  proposition  from  a 
more  practical  side  it  will  be  seen  that  although 
many  people  build  with  the  expectation  of  occupy- 
ing their  houses  only  a  few  months  in  the  year, 
they  will  be  very  glad  to  let  for  the  Winter. 
Grounds  that  are  picturesque  and  cheerful,  and 
livable  in  Winter  naturally  attract  the  house- 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


hunter  and  hold  him  better  than  those  that  are 
obviously  made  only  for  Summer  effect,  that  look 
as  if  they  should  be  packed  up  and  stored  until 
Spring  along  with  the  piazza  chairs. 


White  Oak  in  Winter 

The  most  desirable  trees  of  all  are  the  Oaks,  the 
White,  Red  and  Pin  Oaks.  They  grow  in  time 
into  enormous  specimens  and  live  for  an  indefinite 
period.  When  one  plants  an  Oak  tree  one  not 


A    FEW   GOOD   TREES  85 

only  benefits  his  own  grounds  incalculably,  but 
he  also  does  a  service  for  his  neighbours  and  the 
adjoining  countryside  that  is  the  best  kind  of 
charity.  The  most  picturesque  of  the  Oaks  are  the 
Red  and  White,  which  many  people  never  dream 
of  planting  on  account  of  their  traditionally  slow 
growth;  but  they  forget  that  these  trees  begin 
to  show  their  characteristics  at  a  comparatively 
early  age,  and  they  also  forget  that  the  trees 
that  are  of  slowest  growth  are  of  the  greatest 
merit.  The  truth  is  that  the  Oaks  are  not  any 
slower  of  growth  than  many  trees  that  are  more 
extensively  planted.  The  Pin  Oak,  which  is  really 
a  rapid  grower,  is  particularly  beautiful  planted 
along  an  avenue  or  a  road  in  double  rows,  and  is 
interesting  at  every  stage  of  its  development.  As 
a  background  for  the  garden  it  is  unrivalled,  for 
the  foliage  is  dense  and  of  an  exquisite  glossy 
green  colour  and  shimmers  in  the  sunlight  and 
vibrates  bewitchingly  in  every  breeze  that  blows. 
It  is  a  good  tree  to  have  in  the  garden,  for  its  ap- 
pearance is  ideally  semi-formal.  The  Pin  Oak 
carries  its  limbs  close  to  the  ground  and  the  lower 
branches  curve  downward,  giving  it  a  luxuriant 


86  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

effect  that  one  does  not  find  in  any  other  tree 
possessing  so  much  character.  The  low-growing 
branches  will  be  retained  for  many  years  if  they 
are  given  plenty  of  light  and  air.  Oak  trees  should 
be  planted  sixty  feet  apart,  but  in  planting  an 
avenue  the  intervals  may  be  filled  in  by  somo 
quicker  growing  trees  that  in  the  course  of  years 
may  be  transplanted  to  make  room  for  their  more 
sturdy  neighbours. 

The  leaves  of  the  White  Oak  turn  scarlet  in  Au- 
tumn and  often  cling  to  the  branches  until  Spring, 
giving  the  tree  a  rather  unique  place  in  the  land- 
scape. The  Oaks  are  free  from  disease  and  insect 
pests,  which  is  a  great  recommendation  for  trees 
that  are  to  be  planted  on  small  grounds  where  a 
good  presence  must  be  counted  upon  throughout 
the  season.  The  Pin  Oak  is  one  of  the  easiest  trees 
to  transplant,  and  it  is  quite  feasible  to  move 
specimens  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  feet  in  height 
from  the  forest  to  the  lawn,  the  percentage  of  loss 
being  small.  Select  well-branched  specimens  of 
good  shape  and  move  in  December  after  the  ground 
has  become  well  frozen.  When  the  tree  is  set, 
cover  the  ground  about  the  trunk  for  a  radius  of 


A    FEW    GOOD    TREES  87 

six  feet  or  so  with  six  inches  of  coarse  litter,  and 
leave  it  until  late  in  the  Spring.  When  this  is  re- 
moved mulch  with  fine,  well-rotted  manure,  which 
may  with  advantage  be  renewed  from  time  to  time 
during  the  Summer.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to 
cut  back  the  tops,  but  the  dead  wood  should  be 
well  cleaned  out  and  the  ends  of  the  longer  lower 
branches  pruned  for  eighteen  inches  or  so.  Too 
much  cannot  be  said  in  favour  of  the  Oak  trees 
which  possess  so  many  sterling  qualities;  beauty, 
dignity,  distinguished  appearance,  fine  colouring, 
extreme  picturesqueness.  They  are  satisfactory 
to  look  upon  every  season  of  the  year. 

The  Elm  is  the  most  graceful  of  all  our  native 
trees.  Who  is  not  familiar  with  the  wineglass 
Elms  of  New  England  that  so  lightly  o'erarch  the 
village  streets  and  greens?  It  is  quite  a  rapid 
grower  and  reaches  a  graceful  form  at  an  early 
age.  It  is  one  of  the  most  desirable  trees  for  a 
small  place,  but  it  is  so  susceptible  to  the  ravages 
of  the  moths  that  one  plants  it  with  many  mis- 
givings. One  is  loth  to  give  up  this  tree  which  is 
so  identified  with  the  history  and  literature  of  the 
country,  which  is  so  typical  of  the  New  England 


88  COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

yard,  but  its  unsightliness  in  early  Summer  and 
the  disheartening  war  one  is  compelled  to  wage 
unceasingly  against  its  enemies  have  weighed  in 
the  balance  against  its  use  in  present-day  plant- 
ing. If  a  few  Elms  are  set  out  it  would  be  well  to 
plant  Pin  Oaks  within  a  short  distance  of  them, 
which  may  be  retained  if  the  Elms  succumb. 

The  Maples  are  popular  trees;  association,  their 
cheerful  habit  of  growth,  their  prim,  spinster-like 
attitude  and  demeanour,  their  luxuriant  foliage 
have  all  contributed  to  their  popularity.  The 
most  picturesque  of  them  all  is  the  Swamp,  or 
Red  Maple,  which,  however,  does  well  when  trans- 
planted to  uplands  and  is  very  easy  to  move.  If 
the  Swamp  Maple  is  cut  back  at  the  right  time  it 
can  be  trained  into  a  most  effective  tree.  It  can 
be  used  with  the  Pin  Oak,  and  as  the  latter  keeps 
the  colour  of  its  leaves  longer,  the  Swamp  Maple's 
vivid  red  against  the  Pin  Oak's  green  or  yellowish 
brown  makes  a  sensational  burst  of  colour  in  the 
Autumn  foliage.  It  is  the  first  tree  to  turn,  and 
you  no  doubt  have  seen  it  splashing  the  swamps 
with  spots  of  dazzling  scarlet  in  mid-September. 

Sugar  Maples  are  rather  formal,  shrub-like  trees 


White  Oaks  in  Winter  holding  their  Leaves. 


A   FEW   GOOD    TREES  91 

of  heavy,  even  foliage  that  were  used  in  New 
England  to  line  avenues  in  conjunction  with  Elms, 
and  were  also  planted  extensively  in  rows  in  front 
of  farmhouses  and  other  dwellings  for  their  green- 
ery and  shade — and  sap.  Many  New  England 


Avenue  of  Maples 

village  streets  are  completely  congested  with  these 
trees,  as  the  custom  of  planting  them  in  front  of 
the  houses  became  so  general  that  light  and  air 
have  been  shut  out,  an  effect  which  is  rather  de- 
pressing, but  to  which  the  attention  of  the  New 
Englander  cannot  be  called  without  giving  offence. 


92 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


In  many  towns  these  trees  have  grown  so  large 
and  have  been  guarded  so  carefully  that  the  once 
attractive  front-yard  gardens  have  been  completely 


Pin  Oak  in  Winter 

smothered  out.  Would  it  not  be  better  to  sacri- 
fice a  few  of  the  trees,  even  though  tradition  and 
superstition  are  slightly  jarred?  Sugar  Maples 
were  considered  very  ornamental  by  the  land- 


A    FEW   GOOD   TREES  93 

scape  gardeners  of  thirty  years  or  so  ago,  and  were 
much  used  by  them  for  decorating  lawns. 

The  Norway  Maple  is  a  tree  of  much  the  same 
character  but  of  more  massive  appearance.  It, 
too,  has  the  lines  of  a  large  shrub  in  Winter,  from 
the  upright  growth  of  its  limbs.  The  cut-leaved 
Maple  is  a  tree  of  very  rapid  growth,  so  rapid  in 
fact  that  it  is  useless  and  is  never  planted  except 
where  a  quick  effect  is  imperative.  The  wood  is 
so  brittle  and  fragile  that  it  is  always  being  blown 
to  pieces.  The  fancy  Maples,  such  as  the  Silver 
and  the  Weeping,  should  not  be  planted  on  estates 
of  the  size  cf  those  under  consideration  as  they 
are  purely  decorative  trees  without  character  or 
meaning,  that  belong  to  the  landscape-garden  type 
and  have  not  as  much  merit  as  many  shrubs. 

The  Beech  and  Linden  are  good  trees  that  may 
be  used  sparingly  in  rather  prominent  positions. 
It  is  a  great  deal  better  not  to  plant  too  many 
varieties  on  a  small  place  or  the  grounds  will  look 
like  an  arboretum,  but  of  course  the  good  trees 
that  are  available  should  be  used.  The  Tulip  or 
Whitewood  is  a  pyramidal-shaped  tree  of  much 
grandeur  when  mature.  It  has  large,  smooth, 


94 


COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 


lobed  leaves,  and  a  large  flower  shaped  like  a  Tulip, 
greenish  yellow  with  orange  markings,  and  fra- 
grant. But  its  growth  is  rather  slow  and  it  is  not 
easy  to  transplant.  If  there  are  any  Hickory, 


Transplanted  Pin  Oaks 

Chestnut  or  Walnut  trees  on  your  land  when  it 
comes  into  your  possession  they  should  be  retained 
by  all  means,  but  there  are  many  other  trees  that 
it  would  pay  better  to  plant,  as  the  Nut  trees  take 
years  to  become  interesting  and  useful  and  have 
their  disadvantages;  the  Chestnuts  although  beau- 
tiful in  flower  litter  up  the  lawn  horribly ;  the  Hick- 


A   FEW   GOOD   TREES  95 

ories  lose  their  leaves  early;  the  Walnuts  breed 
millions  upon  millions  of  caterpillars  that  eat  up 
at  least  two  sets  of  leaves  during  the  summer. 
Of  the  three  the  Chestnut  is  the  most  desirable. 
Poplars  are  quick  growing  trees  that  are  used 
principally  for  screens,  but  they  are  very  short- 
lived and  almost  worthless.  They  lose  their 
leaves  early,  frost  or  no  frost,  and  if  the  season 
is  at  all  dry  the  first  of  September  will  see  them 
bare  and  unsightly.  The  single  exception  in  the 
family  is  the  Lombardy,  which  is  the  longest  lived 
of  the  tribe.  It  may  be  used  very  sparingly  in 
semi-formal  work  on  small  grounds  as  an  accent 
on  the  rest  of  the  planting.  One  or  two  are  more 
effective  than  half-a-dozen,  and  their  positions 
should  be  carefully  chosen.  They  are  foreign 
notes  that  should  be  very  softly  introduced  into 
the  composition  of  the  American  yard  or  they 
will  spoil  the  harmony.  One  or  two  might  be 
used  as  a  link  between  a  house  that  exhibits  a 
continental  theme  of  architecture,  and  the  gar- 
den. When  one  sees  a  Lombardy  Poplar  one 
thinks  instinctively  of  France,  and  why  should 
one  be  reminded  of  France  when  walking  in  one's 


96  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

garden?  On  the  Continent  they  were  used  prin- 
cipally to  border  very  long,  very  straight  stretches 
of  roadway  and  canals. 

The  Buttonball  (Sycamore  or  Oriental  Plane) 
trees  should  not  be  planted  on  small  grounds  for 
the  present,  anyway,  until  some  remedy  has  been 
found  for  the  disease  that  has  been  ravaging  them 
for  the  past  seven  or  eight  years.  Formerly  their 
universally  good  health  wras  one  of  their  recom- 
mendations, but  now  they  lose  their  leaves  early 
in  June  and  their  wood  becomes  so  weakened  that 
it  is  broken  easily  by  the  wind  and  scattered  over 
the  lawn. 


CHAPTER  VI 

EVERGREENS   AND    OLD    BOX 

VERGREENS    are 
really  more   effec- 
tive in  Winter  than 
in     Summer,,    but 
they  should   not   be   used 
with  only  that  thought  in 
mind  as  they  are  most  val- 
uable in  combination  with  their  decidu- 
ous neighbours.     The  fault  generally  to 
be  found  is  that  they  are  overplanted  or 
not   planted   in   the  right  way.     Large 
beds  or  masses  are  very  good  in  a  botan- 
ical garden  for  educational  purposes,  but 
they  are  hardly  the  thing  for  a  gentle- 
man's place,  especially  a  small  one.     The 
use  of  so  many  varieties  gives  a  museum- 
like,  stuffy  appearance  to  the  grounds. 
Each  one  has  some  particular  virtue  or 

peculiarity  of  shape,  growth  or  colour  to 
97 


98  COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

recommend  it,  but  one  should  be  satisfied  to  pos- 
sess a  few  good  specimens,  which  if  planted  well 
will  be  much  more  enlightening  than  a  large  and 
variegated  collection.  Simplicity  is  always  dig- 
nified and  in  good  taste;  and  the  grounds  should 
never  be  on  a  more  elaborate  scale  than  the 
house. 

The  planting  of  evergreen  trees  at  Arlington  has 
been  mentioned  in  another  chapter,  but  it  was  so 
effectively  done  that  I  cannot  help  referring  to  it 
again  as  an  example  of  successful  grouping  and 
colouring.  Several  varieties  of  much  the  same 
form,  but  of  different  heights  and  shades  of  green, 
were  combined  in  groups  among  the  deciduous 
trees  in  such  a  way  that  the  attractive  qualities 
of  each  were  brought  out  and  accented.  Ever- 
greens were  linked  in  an  oft-broken  chain,  connect- 
ing one  plantation  with  another;  and  gathered 
together  lightly  in  groves  to  break  the  steepness 
of  the  hillside,  so  that  the  eye  is  relieved  when  it 
instinctively  ascends  to  the  top  of  the  hill  on  which 
the  mansion  stands.  There  are  no  great  contrasts, 
but  the  various  trees  are  exceedingly  well-blended, 
and  that  is  the  secret  of  planting  evergreens, — to 


EVERGREENS   AND   OLD   BOX  99 

blend  them  well  with  the  other  trees.  The  plant- 
ing at  Arlington  was  done  before  the  era  of  Japan- 
ese shrubs,  and  strange  to  say  one  does  not  miss 
them  in  the  least. 

It  is  difficult,  almost  impossible  on  a  small 
place,  to  use  strange  forms  and  colors  of  ever- 
greens without  making  them  seem  incongruous, 
and  giving  the  grounds  the  appearance  of  a  public 
park  where  it  is  necessary  to  follow  a  systematic 
arrangement.  You  should  strive  by  every  means 
to  keep  such  an  effect  from  your  place,  and  the 
simplest  way  to  do  it  is  to  use  only  a  few  varieties 
of  trees  and  shrubs  of  good  character  and  colour. 
In  carrying  out  such  an  idea  you  will  also  be  put 
to  much  less  expense,  for  fancy  trees  are  costly 
and  very  uncertain,  having  to  be  replaced  fre- 
quently, and  although  your  neighbours  may  vie 
with  each  other  to  plant  as  many  different  and 
expensive  kinds  as  they  can  procure,  your  house 
will  at  least  be  set  in  an  appropriate  and  dignified 
frame.  There  is  no  necessity  for  crowding  your 
lawn  with  trees  because  they  are  rare  or  novel; 
they  will  surely  spoil  the  general  effect  and  they 
will  not  contribute  much  to  your  enjoyment  or 


100  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

peace  of  mind,   the  two  principal  objects  to  be 
considered  when  arranging  one's  grounds. 

White  Pine  trees  should  always  be  planted  if 
there  is  any  place  for  them.  The  New  Englanders 
used  them  in  rows  in  front  of  their  houses,  or  for 
screens  and  wind-breaks;  or  they  placed  them  on 
some  commanding  knoll  as  silent  sentinels  over 
the  other  trees,  and  as  such  they  were  a  distinct 
addition  to  the  grounds.  Bordering  a  road  they 
are  most  impressive  when  the  Winter  wind  sways 
their  graceful  tops  and  soughs  through  their 
branches  with  the  weird  melody  of  an  ^F.olian 
harp.  They  are  good  trees  to  use  for  making 
alleys;  the  ground  beneath  them  becomes  in  time 
thickly  carpeted  with  their  needles  and  decorated 
with  their  cones.  They  live  to  a  great  age  and 
grow  to  the  height  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  or 
more  in  some  localities,  but  as  time  adds  to  their 
stature  their  appearance  is  often  changed ;  the  lower 
branches  die  or  are  lopped  off  to  give  light  and  air 
when  their  growth  and  that  of  the  neighbouring 
trees  has  become  too  dense.  Two  White  Pines 
placed  conspicuously,  near  the  house,  will  give  a 
minor  cadence  to  the  general  planting  that  is  often 


Nursery-grown  "White  Pine  Trees. 


EVERGREENS    AND    OLD    BOX  103 

needed  to  soften  the  contrast  between  garden  and 
grounds. 

The  Norway  Spruce  is  a  good  tree  that  has  been 
used  too  much  because  it  is  cheap  and  grows 
quickly.  It  is  too  thick  and  dark  and  lowering  to 
plant  very  near  the  house,  as  it  effectually  shuts 
out  light  and  invites  dampness.  It  is  desirable  to 
have  a  few  Spruce  trees  near  at  hand,  however,  for 
in  Winter  they  are  the  refuge  of  many  birds  that 
are  well  protected  by  the  close-knit  foliage;  robins 
will  make  a  grove  of  Spruce  trees  their  home 
through  the  Winter,  and  their  presence  is  always 
welcome.  It  is  not  a  native  tree  but  it  has  been 
so  widely  cultivated  that  in  many  instances  it  nas 
escaped.  It  is  larger  and  altogether  more  majestic 
than  either  the  White  or  Black  Spruce,  and  the 
branches  are  more  drooping;  this  last  characteristic 
gives  it  a  melancholy  expression  which,  as  it  is  a 
rather  heavy  tree,  makes  it  unattractive  to  many 
people.  It  is  particularly  beautiful  amid  snow- 
clad  surroundings,  and  dear  to  the  hearts  of  chil- 
dren on  account  of  its  association  with  Christmas, 
a  fact  that  should  not  be  ignored,  for  the  children 
should  be  considered  when  the  grounds  are  planted 


104  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

as  the  influence  of  trees  and  flowers  in  forming 
character  is  a  marked  one.  If  partly  covered  with 
snow  the  branchlets  of  the  Spruce  become  so  droop- 
ing that  they  give  almost  the  appearance  of  weep- 
ing. Spruce  trees  are  particularly  useful  for 
screens  and  wind-breaks,  and  are  planted  by  many 
people  for  hedges,  for  which  latter  purpose  they 
are  of  doubtful  value  as  they  have  many  unde- 
sirable qualities.  They  do  not  do  well  if  placed 
where  they  get  the  drippings  from  other  trees. 
As  the  Spruces  will  bear  close  clipping  they  are 
often  used  for  topiary  work  in  America,  where 
topiary  material  is  hard  to  find;  the  tops  are  cut 
back  and  the  lower  growth  is  encouraged.  Then 
they  are  shaped  into  balls,  pyramids,  and  cones,  or 
even  made  into  more  fantastic  forms.  They  are 
not  really  appropriate  for  such  a  purpose,  however, 
for  while  the  effect  from  a  distance  is  good  they  are 
coarse  and  heavy,  and  a  very  poor  imitation  of 
Box  or  Yew. 

Nordmann's  Silver  Fir  (Picea  Nordmanniana)  is 
a  glorified  variety  of  Spruce  that  should  be  planted 
if  possible  in  place  of  the  Norway  or  native.  It  is  a 
tree  of  more  moderate  size  but  of  splendid  proper- 


Spruce,  Pine,  and  Cedar. 


EVERGREENS    AND    OLD    BOX  107 

tions  and  of  exquisite  grace  and  colouring,  shading 
from  very  dark,  rich  green  to  greenish  grey  under- 
neath. Its  branches  are  carried  lower  than  any 
other  Spruce  tree,  the  bottom  ones  often  sweeping 


Group  of  Cedars 

the  ground.  This  tree  is  of  slow  growth  and  devel- 
opment and  expensive  to  procure,  but  it  will  give 
much  pleasure  to  any  one  who  is  fond  of  evergreens, 
and  is  most  valuable  on  account  of  its  habits  and 
colouring  where  permanent  planting  is  done. 


108  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

All  things  considered  the  native  hemlock  (Tsuga 
Canadensis)  is  a  better  tree  to  use  on  a  small  place 
than  the  Norway  Spruce.  It  is  more  graceful,  and 
although  it  does  not  grow  into  so  large  a  tree  (and 
this  is  really  in  its  favour)  its  foliage  is  extremely 
delicate  and  more  fringe-like  and  drooping;  it  is 
altogether  less  clumsy  and  therefore  easier  to  com- 
bine with  other  trees  in  a  limited  area. 

The  Larch  is  a  deciduous  tree  that  has  the  ap- 
pearance of  an  evergreen,  and  is  generally  consid- 
ered as  one.  In  Spring  when  it  is  budding  it  is  a 
beautiful  sight  with  its  delicate  green  plumelets, 
but  its  effect  in  Winter  is  rather  depressing;  it 
reminds  one  of  a  dead  evergreen  which,  on  account 
of  some  oversight  on  the  part  of  the  owner,  has  not 
been  removed.  Unless  one  has  some  sentiment  or 
association  for  the  Larch  it  would  be  just  as  well 
not  to  use  it  on  a  small  estate. 

The  Irish  Juniper  is  a  tree  of  a  beautiful  silvery 
green  colour  that  should  be  very  carefully  used  in 
semi-formal  work,  for  it  is  extremely  formal  in 
appearance.  It  is  hardy  if  not  planted  in  too 
exposed  positions,  but  is  of  the  slowest  growth 
and  requires  a  great  deal  of  patience  to  develop. 


Cedar  growing  on  Top  of  Rock. 


EVERGREENS    AND    OLD    BOX  111 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  Washington  it  does  ex- 
tremely well  and  has  been  used  at  Arlington  where 
there  are  several  handsome  specimens. 

The  Red  Cedar  is  a  most  beautiful  tree.  Its 
growth  is  naturally  pyramidal,  but  when  found 
near  the  coast  it  is  often  twisted  into  the  most 
fantastic  and  weird  forms.  If  your  place  is  bare 
of  Cedars  it  would  hardly  be  worth  while  to  plant 
them,  their  development  is  so  exasperatingly  slow; 
but  if  Nature  has  thrown  any  of  them  in  your  way 
be  most  careful  to  preserve  them  as  they  give  much 
character  to  the  surroundings.  They  are  to  be 
found  growing  in  the  most  absurd  places,  where  it 
would  be  impossible  to  establish  any  other  form 
of  tree,  or  even  Cedar  itself  by  transplantation,  on 
the  tops  of  rocks  with  apparently  no  soil  in  sight, 
tentacled  around  stones  like  petrified  devil-fish, 
out  of  the  clefts  of  rocks  where  birds  have  dropped 
the  seeds,  very  often  hanging  from  the  face  of  a 
cliff  or  boulder.  They  are  natural  formalities  of 
the  landscape  that  can  be  made  the  basis  of  semi- 
formal  plans.  Although  it  is  possible  to  trans- 
plant these  trees  when  they  are  found  growing 
freely  in  loam  and  not  with  their  roots  forced  into 


112  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

the  clefts  of  rocks,  the  risk  is  great,  especially  if 
the  tree  has  attained  sufficient  age  to  make  it 
attractive;  and  the  operation  is  not  recommended 
to  amateurs.  In  Winter  the  well-defined  outlines 
of  the  Cedar  trees  stand  out  with  clearness  against 
the  snow,  the  dark  green  foliage  showing  a  little 
subdued  and  rusty  in  the  frosty  air.  Dignified  in 
the  extreme,  they  do  not  lower  one's  cheerfulness 
like  the  funereal  Spruce.  In  some  parts  of  the 
South,  Maryland  and  Virginia  particularly,  one 
notices  the  Cedars  lining  the  lanes  as  if  they  had 
been  carefully  planted,  when  the  birds  perching 
on  the  near-by  fences  are  entirely  responsible  for 
their  appearance.  These  trees  are  very  beautiful 
when  located  on  a  terrace  among  flowers.  The 
green  of  their  foliage  is  of  much  the  same  colour 
as  the  English  Yew  and  it  sets  off  most  effect- 
ively such  bright  blooming  plants  as  Phlox, 
or  Foxgloves  and  Lilies.  This  tree  is  so  desirable 
that  if  you  have  any  well-shaped  specimens  it 
would  be  a  good  plan  to  work  up  your  grounds 
and  garden  to  them. 

The  Japanese  evergreens  that  are  planted  so 
much  nowadays  are  very  attractive,  but  their  use 


Red  Cedars  on  the  Lawn. 


EVERGREENS   AND    OLD    BOX  115 

should  be  confined  to  Japanese  gardens  or  to 
Japanese  effects  in  large  parks  or  gardens.  The 
majority  of  them  are  quite  hardy,  but  if  the  ther- 
mometer goes  below  zero  the  Retinisporas,  the 
most  beautiful  of  them  all,  will  be  killed. 

Modern  Box  trees,  that  is,  those  grown  for  the 
trade  in  Holland  and  Belgium,  no  matter  how 
carefully  they  have  been  trimmed,  cannot  give 
the  same  feeling  to  a  new  yard  as  a  few  venerable 
specimens  ruthlessly  torn  from  the  garden  of  an 
old  farmhouse,  where  for  a  hundred  years  they 
have  been  the  features  as  their  more  fantastically 
clipped  prototypes  were  the  features  of  Pliny's 
elaborate  plaisance.  The  Box  trees  grown  in  the 
gardens  of  long  ago  were  propagated  from  stock 
of  Buxus  sempervirens  obtained  in  England  and 
Holland.  It  is  quite  different  in  appearance  from 
most  of  the  specimens  offered  in  the  nurseries  to- 
day, which  are  varieties  of  the  old  shrub,  but  gen- 
erally quite  dissimilar  in  character  from  their 
common  ancestor.  It  was  used  for  hedges  and 
edgings,  and  as  its  habit  of  growth  was  more  com- 
pact, the  leaves  smaller  and  lying  closer  together, 
and  the  colour  richer,  when  carefully  pleached  it 


116  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

presented  the  smooth  surface  so  much  admired 
and  sought  for.  The  old  Buxus  sempervirens  was 
used  also  for  specimens  on  the  lawn  or  in  front  of 
the  house,  and  if  allowed  to  grow  freely  it  devel- 
oped into  the  most  picturesque  tree  of  peculiar 
conformation.  On  page  121  is  a  picture  of  an  old 
hedge  of  Buxus  sempervirens  and  a  specimen  tree 
of  the  same  variety  that  was  probably  planted  at 
the  same  time.  There  is  one  on  each  side  of  the 
porch  steps  of  this  old  farmhouse  in  Westchester 
County.  It  has  taken  many,  many  years  for 
them  to  reach  so  large  a  size.  Buxus  semper- 
virens var.  arborescens  is  the  Tree  Box  that  is 
grown  in  large  quantities  in  Europe.  If  used  for 
edging  it  will  be  found  to  develop  much  more 
rapidly  that  the  old  variety,  although  the  colour 
is  not  so  good  nor  the  growth  so  compact.  In 
Washington,  D.  C.,  arborescens  has  been  much 
used  in  the  public  squares  where  it  has  grown  to 
the  height  of  ten  or  twelve  feet. 

Modern  Box  resembles  the  low-toned,  scarred 
antiques  about  as  much  as  machine-made  furniture 
reproduced  to-day  from  the  designs  of  Hepple- 
white  and  Sheraton  resembles  the  time-softened 


EVERGREENS    AND    OLD    BOX  119 

maple  and  mahogany  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
The  reproducer  unconsciously  adds  a  touch  or  two 
of  his  own  which  spoils  the  effect.  Yet  good  re- 
productions of  old  furniture  are  not  to  be  ignored 
when  one  cannot  obtain  originals,  and  modern  Box 
is  far  better  than  no  Box  at  all,  and  should  be 
plentifully  used  in  the  garden  and  on  the  grounds. 
Buy  forms  that  you  can  shape  yourself  more  or  less 
after  the  patterns  of  the  old  shrubs,  and  the 
rounder  they  are  the  better  they  will  look,  for  old 
Box  was  generally  either  dumpy  and  plethoric 
and  appeared  as  if  it  were  a  crinoline,  or  it  was 
shaped  like  an  inverted  pyramid.  The  clipped 
pyramidal  forms  are  the  least  desirable  and  are 
usually  the  most  plentiful  and  cheap. 

The  old  specimens  are  of  great  assistance  to 
anyone  who  is  trying  to  produce  the  effect  of  an 
old  yard  and  garden,  but  unfortunately  the  sup- 
ply is  limited.  The  revival  of  garden-making  dur- 
ing the  past  few  years  has  stripped  the  nurseries 
of  the  few  old  and  attractive  specimens  that  they 
once  possessed,  and  the  owners  of  good  Box  trees 
in  the  small  towns  and  villages  are  fast  becoming 
educated  to  the  value  of  their  long  neglected  heir- 


120  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

looms.  The  bargainer  will  have  to  be  diplomatic 
and  persistent  and  possessed  of  a  well-filled  purse, 
for  when  the  expenses  of  lifting  and  moving  and 
replanting  are  added  to  the  original  bill  of  sale 
the  figures  will  tot  up  to  a  considerable  sum. 

The  moving  of  these  old  specimens  should  be 
entrusted  to  men  of  experience,  for  the  operation 
is  by  no  means  a  simple  one  and  the  risk  is  great. 
Many  nurserymen  make  a  specialty  of  moving 
Box  for  their  rich  patrons,  and  they  have  been 
quite  successful,  although  it  seems  to  be  more  or 
less  a  matter  of  luck.  Small  trees  can  be  suc- 
cessfully moved  in  late  October  after  the  first 
really  sharp  frost,  and  they  should  be  reset  in  the 
same  quality  of  soil  as  that  to  which  they  have 
been  used,  a  light  loam.  Good  drainage  should  be 
provided,  for  the  accumulation  of  water  around 
the  roots  is  fatal.  Avoid  setting  them  in  heavy, 
clayey  soil  that  holds  moisture  and  freezes  like  a 
rock,  or  in  cuppy  ground  where  the  water  is  apt 
to  collect  around  their  butts.  Care  should  be 
taken  not  to  break  the  tap  roots,  and  to  keep  the 
wind  and  air  from  drying  out  any  of  the  roots 
while  in  transportation.  When  setting  the  tree, 


Old  Box. 


EVERGREENS    AND    OLD    BOX  123 

puddle  the  loam  as  it  is  thrown  back  into  the 
excavation,  as  that  will  settle  it  more  closely  about 
the  roots  than  the  most  careful  tamping.  Be 
sure  to  protect  the  roots  by  a  liberal  dressing  of 
coarse  litter,  and  when  that  is  removed  in  the 
Spring  substitute  a  good  mulch  of  fine,  well-rotted 
manure.  As  Box  is  such  a  greedy  feeder  it  should 
be  watered  through  the  Summer  with  manure 
water,  and  if  this  is  done  the  results  will  not  only 
please  but  surprise  you.  December,  after  the 
ground  is  well  frozen,  is  the  best  time  to  move 
large  and  very  old  specimens,  for  then  a  good  ball 
may  be  lifted  with  the  roots  very  much  as  if  they 
were  potted.  The  condition  of  the  trees,  the 
quality  of  the  soil  in  which  they  are  reestablished 
and  the  care  and  intelligence  with  which  the  trans- 
plantation is  effected  seem  to  have  more  to  do 
with  successful  moving  than  anything  else. 

Another  good  evergreen,  a  native  of  north- 
eastern America,  is  the  Arbor  Vitae  (Thuja  oc- 
cidentalis),  a  White  Cedar  of  quicker  growth  than 
the  Red.  It  is  a  tapering  tree  twenty  to  fifty  feet 
high,  with  close,  dense  foliage  that  bears  clipping 
well.  It  is  extensively  used  in  America  in  formal 


124  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

work  for  hedges,  arches  and  screens,  in  fact  it  is 
the  only  tree  we  have  that  can  be  grown  and 
trimmed  into  solid  looking  walls  as  the  Yew  is  so 
extensively  trained  and  trimmed  in  English  gar- 
dens. Thuja  pyramidalis  is  a  variety  of  more 


Arbor  Vitse  Pyramidalis 

marked  pyramidal  form  that  may  be  used  in  semi- 
formal  work  to  take  the  place  of  Red  Cedar,  for  it 
has  much  the  same  appearance  although  it  is  a 
more  living  green  in  colour.  Arbor  Vitae  occi- 
dentalis  is  perfectly  hardy.  The  best  screen  that 
I  have  ever  seen  made  with  it  is  located  on  the 
summit  of  a  high,  exposed  ridge  in  northern 
Connecticut,  where  it  is  buffeted  by  all  the  Winter 


EVERGREENS  AND  OLD  BOX 


125 


winds  that  blow;  where  the  mercury  often  gets 
and  stays  below  zero.  This  screen  is  twelve  or 
fourteen  feet  high  and  has  doorways  cut  through 
it.  It  is  very  old  and  must  have  been  closely 
clipped  for  generations,  yet  it  is  apparently  in 
perfect  condition,  effectively  sheltering  an  old 
farmhouse. 

The  best  trees  to  use  in  planting  a  small  estate, 
in  the  order  given,  are: 


DECIDUOUS 
Pin  Oak 
White  Oak 
Red  Oak 

Swamp,  or  Red,  Maple 
Elm  (uncertain  on  ac- 
count of  insects) 
Norway  Maple 
Sugar  Maple 
Linden,  or  Basswood 
Copper  Beech 
Tulip,  or  Whitewood 
Lombardy  Poplar 
Larch 


EVERGREEN 
White  Pine 
Native  Hemlock 
Nordmann's  Fir 
Arbor  Vitse  occidentalis, 

for  walls  and  screens 
Arbor    Vifoe  pyramida- 

lis,    for     semi-formal 

effects 
Red  Cedar 
Norway  Spruce 
Irish  Juniper 


126  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

Use  White  Pine  and  Hemlock  with  Pin  Oak 
and  the  Maples;  Nordmann's  Fir  and  Red  Ce- 
dar with  Elms  and  White  and  Red  Oaks;  Ar- 
bor Vita)  and  Cedar  with  the  Pin  Oaks;  Norway 
Spruce  with  the  Oaks,  Elms,  or  Maples,  but 
sparingly. 

The  Oaks  may  all  be  planted  together  or  with 
Hickory  and  Chestnut;  the  Swamp  Maple  with 
the  other  Maples  and  with  Pin  Oak;  the  Elm  is 
better  by  itself,  as  also  the  Linden,  Copper 
Beech  and  Whitewood.  Lombardy  Poplars  are 
to  be  used  very  sparingly  in  connection  with  the 
house  and  the  garden. 


CHAPTER  VII 

CHOOSING  SHRUBS   AND   SMALL  TREES 

'ANY   people  im- 
agine that  shrubs 
are  wasted  if  they 
are    not    massed 
together   in   great   planta- 
tions, where  they  present  a 
solid  phalanx  of  bloom  for 
two  or  three  days  each  year.    The  rest  of 
the  time  the  bed  is  dark  and  unattractive 
and  is   a   blot   on   the  lawn,  detracting 
9    from,  rather  than  adding  to  the  surround- 
8    ings.     Such  a  system  may  sometimes  be 
convenient   on   large   and    bare    estates 
which  are  difficult  to  plant  anyway,  but 
on  small  grounds  shrubs  should  be  used 
generally  as  individual  specimens  so  that 
their  beauty  may  be  seen  and  admired, 
so  that  the  good  qualities  of  each  may  be 
appreciated;  they  should  not  be  consid- 

127 


128  COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

ered  from  the  standpoint  of  their  bloom  alone.  The 
same  rule  should  be  followed  as  when  disposing  of 
furniture  in  a  room;  you  do  not  hide  a  beautiful 
china-closet  of  rare  workmanship  by  placing  an- 
other cabinet  or  a  desk  or  a  settee  or  a  lot  of  chairs 
all  about  it,  encompassing  it  and  hiding  its  grace- 
ful lines  and  form. 

I  have  always  thought  that  the  plan  of  planting 
in  masses  was  followed  by  the  nurserymen  and 
landscape  gardeners  because  a  great  many  plants 
have  to  be  used.  The  arrangement  is  expensive 
and  extravagant,  besides  being  commonplace  and 
clumsy,  and  much  better  effects  can  be  obtained  by 
placing  each  shrub  where  it  belongs,  where  it  will 
always  look  at  home  and  can  remain  undisturbed 
for  an  indefinite  time,  after  the  manner  of  old 
yards  and  gardens.  Used  in  such  a  way  shrubs 
have  a  meaning  and  give  feeling  to  the  house  and 
grounds;  and  a  man  of  moderate  means  may  plant 
and  enjoy  them. 

When  buying  shrubs,  if  there  is  no  nursery  in 
your  immediate  vicinity,  you  should  choose  one 
that  lies  in  a  colder  latitude  or  one  just  as  cold  as 
that  in  which  your  place  is  located.  By  doing  this 


CHOOSING   SHRUBS   AND   SMALL   TREES        131 

you  will  get  stock  that  is  hardy  and  will  be  pretty 
sure  to  thrive.  Plant  shrubs  in  the  Fall  if  possible, 
in  October  or  November,  or  in  the  very  early 
Spring;  and  always  protect  the  roots  for  the  first 
Winter  with  a  good  dressing  of  straw  or  coarse 
litter. 

Closely  pruned  shrubs  are  prim  looking  and 
ugly;  the  natural  growth  is  pretty  sure  to  be  more 
graceful  than  any  that  you  can  encourage  by  the 
shears.  The  fantastically  clipped  forms  that  were 
common  in  the  Roman  gardens  and  the  gardens 
of  the  Renaissance,  and  that  were  over-extensively 
used  in  England  up  to  the  middle  of  the  last 
century,  are  out  of  place  on  small  grounds;  they 
make  them  look  top-heavy.  Avoid  the  badly 
pleached  Box  that  is  offered  to-day  in  so  many 
nurseries,  for  they  are  poor  imitations  and  detract 
from  the  true  value  of  the  garden.  Try  if  you  will 
to  get  the  old,  round  forms  that  are  found  in  the 
old  dooryards,  but  do  not  buy  pyramids  and 
standards. 

Cut  away  the  dead  wood  from  shrubs  in  the 
Spring;  and  it  will  be  necessary  often  to  cut  back 
the  Mock-orange,  for  its  growth  is  apt  to  be  rank 


132  COMMON   SENSE   GARDENS 

and  ungraceful;  and  remove  some  of  the  side 
branches  that  stick  out  and  destroy  the  general 
symmetry  of  the  bushes.  Except  for  cutting  out 
the  large  suckers  the  Lilacs  should  never  be  touched 
with  shears,  but  allowed  to  grow  in  their  natural, 
own  sweet  way.  For  the  rest,  the  pruning  may 
be  left  to  the  common  sense  of  the  owner,  with  the 
gardener  kept  at  a  distance. 

There  are  so  many  shrubs  that  are  attractive  and 
desirable  that  it  is  hard  for  the  novice  to  make  a 
choice.  If  he  leaves  the  selection  to  a  nursery- 
man he  will  get  a  little  bit  of  everything,  for  the 
average  nurseryman  thinks  that  variety  is  the 
spice  of  planting.  One  does  not  realize  how  large 
a  shrub  bill  may  become  until  it  is  sent  in,  and 
then  it  is  difficult  to  check  up  the  various  items 
that  have  been  scattered  over  two  or  three  acres, 
for  many  of  them  even  in  that  short  space  of  time 
will  doubtless  have  died  from  want  of  care  and 
knowledge  on  the  part  of  your  gardener,  or  be- 
cause they  were  weaklings  when  they  left  the 
nursery  and  should  have  received  the  attention  of 
a  trained  nurse.  You  should  superintend  the 
planting  carefully,  for  you  cannot  be  sure  that  any- 


CHOOSING   SHRUBS    AND    SMALL   TREES         135 

thing  either  inside  or  outside  the  house  will  be 
particularly  well  done  if  left  entirely  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  servants. 

It  is  a  much  better  plan  io  know  exactly  what 
you  want  and  to  choose  the  varieties  yourself. 
For  that  reason  you  should  patronize  the  nurseries 
in  your  neighbourhood,  as  then  you  can  run  over 
at  odd  times  when  you  have  the  leisure,  or  when 
the  particular  shrubs  you  are  interested  in  are  in 
bloom.  Tag  these  carefully  with  the  copper-wired 
tags  which  the  nurseryman  will  provide,  and  on 
which  your  name  should  be  plainly  written  with 
an  indelible  pencil,  so  that  there  will  be  no  doubt 
about  identification  when  the  time  for  transplant- 
ing arrives. 

The  nurseryman  will  want  to  sell  you  novelties, 
of  which  an  incredible  number  are  put  upon  the 
market  every  year;  and  some  of  his  reasons  for 
doing  so  will  not  be  entirely  disinterested.  The 
beginner  should  leave  novelties  alone,  especially 
if  the  area  to  be  planted  is  limited  and  his  pocket- 
book  is  not  over-extended.  Novelties  are  the  best 
anti-fat  for  a  plethoric  pocketbook  that  has  ever 
been  devised. 


136  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

If  you  should  send  an  order  to  a  nurseryman 
located  at  some  distance  from  your  home,  the 
chances  are  that  all  the  stock  that  you  receive  will 
not  come  up  to  your  expectations.  The  nursery- 
man, being  only  human,  will  average  up  the  lot  so 
that  about  fifty  per  cent  of  the  trees  and  shrubs 
will  be  pretty  poor;  the  rest,  fair  to  medium. 
Your  order  will  probably  have  been  filled  at  a  low 
price,  but  in  the  end  you  would  have  found  it 
cheaper  to  patronize  your  own  nursery.  It  does 
not  pay  to  buy  job  lots  of  shrubs  and  trees,  for 
there  is  a  great  demand  for  good  stuff  and  you 
may  rest  assured  that  there  was  something  queer 
about  your  "  bargain." 

The  home  nurseryman  will  generally  be  ready 
to  replace  trees  that  fail,  unless  they  die  through 
gross  carelessness  on  your  part  or  the  part  of  your 
gardener,  and  he  will  always  take  an  interest  in 
your  place,  giving  you  much  advice  from  time  to 
time,  which  he  will  not  be  likely  to  do  if  you  ignore 
the  home  industry  and  patronize  outside  firms. 
When  the  nursery  is  near  by,  transplantation  can 
be  more  safely  effected,  as  it  is  possible  to  wait 
for  the  right  kind  of  weather.  This  is  worth 


CHOOSING   SHRUBS   AND  SMALL   TREES         137 

much  in  Spring,  for  then  the  plants  that  are  moved 
on  a  rainy,  muggy  day  are  hardly  checked  at  all; 
and  there  is  a  better  chance  of  quick  recuperation 
than  when  the  stock  has  been  kept  on  the  train 
for  days,  perhaps  weeks,  no  matter  how  carefully 
it  may  have  been  taken  up  and  packed. 

Beware  of  travelling  agents  and  men  who  do 
what  it  called  a  cellar  business.  The  former  are 
only  interested  in  selling  their  wares,  never  in  the 
wares  themselves;  many  of  them  do  not  know  a 
Geranium  from  a  Rose  except  by  the  pictures  they 
have  seen.  The  plants  handled  by  the  latter  class 
of  dealers  are  apt  to  be  out  of  the  ground  a  long 
time,  and  that  does  not  benefit  their  constitutions; 
or  if  dormant  they  often  begin  to  sprout  before 
you  receive  them.  Both  are  apt  to  disappoint  you 
when  it  is  too  late  to  place  your  order  elsewhere, 
for  they  do  not  keep  track  of  the  supplies  in  the 
nurseries  they  represent  and  are  altogether  irre- 
sponsible. It  is  much  better  to  deal  directly  with 
some  reliable  house. 

The  Lilac  is  a  shrub  that  you  will  surely  wish  to 
see  well  represented  on  your  grounds.  As  sug- 
gested in  Chapter  IV,  much  better  effect  can  be 


138  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

had  with  old  specimens,  which  you  should  be  able 
to  procure  from  some  ancient  farmhouse  in  your 
neighbourhood.  You  should  have  a  White  Lilac  in 
the  flower  garden,  for  it  will  live  to  a  good  old  age 
and  grow  more  picturesque  every  year.  Lilacs 
look  well  near  the  house — in  front  of  it,  if  it  is  pos- 
sible to  put  them  there,  at  either  side  of  the  porch. 
One  never  tires  of  them  in  the  latter  place;  they 
seem  really  a  part  of  the  house.  They  may  be 
planted  to  overhang  the  garden  hedge  or  to  border 
a  walk,  or  for  an  untrimmed  hedge  behind  an  old 
wall,  or  on  top  of  a  bank.  Planted  thickly  along 
the  party  line  they  make  a  good  screen,  and  are 
less  stiff  and  formal  than  a  fence  and  more  useful 
to  your  neighbour.  You  really  cannot  have  too 
many  of  them,  as  they  contribute  more  to  the  at- 
mosphere of  home  than  any  other  shrub.  Old 
bushes  can  be  moved  by  the  " hired  man"  under 
your  direction;  but  if  you  get  them  from  a  nur- 
sery confine  your  choice  to  the  old  varieties.  I 
have  moved  Lilacs  when  in  flower,  and  they  have 
gone  on  blooming  just  as  if  they  were  used  to  a 
carriage-drive  every  day. 
The  white  flowering  native  DOGWOOD  (Cornus 


CHOOSING    SHRUBS    AND    SMALL   TREES        141 

Florida)  is  found  in  the  woods  where  it  comes  into 
bloom  when  the  leaves  of  the  surrounding  trees 
are  just  bursting  from  the  buds,  and  the  effect  is 
as  if  the  flowers  had  been  floating  through  the  for- 
est and  were  caught  on  the  outstretched  branches 
of  the  other  trees.  It  is  much  better  used  in  this 
way,  or  on  the  edge  of  a  wood  or  grove,  as  it  needs 
the  delicate  green  to  set  off  its  white  stars;  it  is 
not  half  as  attractive  or  interesting  when  planted 
by  itself  on  the  lawn.  This  tree  may  be  trans- 
planted from  the  woods,  but  good  specimens  are 
generally  to  be  found  in  the  nursery,  and  are  surer 
to  succeed. 

MAGNOLIAS  are  rather  formal  trees  that 
should  be  planted  in  pairs  to  appear  to  the  best 
advantage.  Very  good  varieties  are  soulangeana 
and  conspicui,  of  very  much  the  same  shape  and 
bearing  the  same  kind  of  flowers,  except  that  the 
petals  of  soulangeana  have  a  dark  red  base.  These 
trees  blossom  before  they  throw  out  their  leaves, 
the  end  of  April,  and  are  often  nipped  by  the  frost, 
when  the  flowers  turn  an  uninviting  brown.  There 
is  a  shrub-like  variety  of  Magnolia,  stellata,  which 
ic  rather  slow  to  develop.  The  flowers  are  star 


142  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS. 

shaped  and  are  borne  in  great  profusion,  covering 
the  branches.  This  variety  is  most  effective  on 
the  edge  of  a  wood  treated  as  a  large  shrub.  Mag- 
nolias should  always  be  transplanted  in  the  Spring; 
and  they  will  take  a  year,  and  sometimes  two,  to 
get  over  the  effects  of  moving  and  start  growing 
again. 

A  very  graceful  tree  of  small  size  is  the  LABUR- 
NUM (Laburnum  vulgare).  It  is  not  used  much  in 
this  country,  but  is  popular  in  England.  It  is  tall 
and  slight  with  delicate  green  foliage,  and  the 
branches  bend  over  gracefully  and  nod  with  ra- 
cemes of  yellow  flowers.  Laburnum  does  well  in 
partial  shade  and  needs  a  great  deal  of  moisture, 
so  that  in  dry  Summers  it  should  be  plentifully 
watered,  and  the  foliage  sprayed.  This  tree  is 
worth  growing  and  is  a  good  one  to  have  in  the 
garden;  it  is  really  a  garden  tree.  Plant  it  in  a 
corner  near  a  hedge  or  a  fence  post,  and  place 
Foxglove  around  it  to  hide  the  trunk,  which  is  gen- 
erally bare  for  several  feet.  Or  it  is  very  nice 
swinging  gently  over  a  garden  seat;  it  blossoms  in 
June. 

The   native  HAWTHORN    (Cratcegus  cocdnea)  is 


CHOOSING   SHRUBS   AND    SMALL   TREES        145 

an  attractive  tree  with  red  flowers  not  unlike  the 
English  Hawthorn.  Hawthorns  may  be  used  for 
pleaching,  that  is,  interweaving  their  branches 
overhead.  There  is  a  pleached  Hawthorn  arch  at 
Holly  House,  Peacedale,  Rhode  Island,  the  home 
of  Roland  Hazard,  Esq.,  which  Mrs.  Earle  has  pic- 
tured in  her  "Old  Time  Gardens."  Another  va- 
riety, Cratcegus  crus-galli,  makes  an  excellent  hedge 
as  its  thorns  effectually  keep  off  cattle,  dogs,  etc., 
but  it  is  not  used  for  this  purpose  to  any  extent, 
perhaps  because  it  is  rather  slow  to  start,  and 
everybody  nowadays  seems  to  be  in  a  hurry. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD 

HE  first  shrub  to 

L 

blossom  in  Spring 
is  the  FORSYTHIA,  and 
its  bright  yellow  bells 
are  a  cheerful  addition  to 
the  brown  lambrequins  of 
April;   it  is  a  harbinger  of 
the  glorious  blossoms  that  will  follow  in 
quick  succession  until  frost.     If  for  no 
other  reason  than  its  earliness  this  shrub 
should  be  planted,  but  it  is  ornamental 
later  on  when  the  bright  green  leaves 
appear.     It  is  massed  in  great  bunches 
on  many  estates,  but  is  good  enough  to 
use  as  a  specimen  along  a  roadway  or 
path.     Fortunei  is  the  earliest  variety, 
which  is  followed  by  viridissima  before 
the  last  blossoms  of  fortunei  have  faded, 
thus  making  a  good  succession  lasting 
147 


148  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

two  weeks  or  more.  It  should  not  be  pruned  un- 
til after  it  has  blossomed  as  the  flowers  are  borne 
on  the  old  wood.  It  will  grow  eventually  into  a 
large  bush  seven  or  eight  feet  high.  In  England 
the  Forsythia  fortunei  is  trained  sometimes  against 
walls,  the  principal  branches  being  tied  up  for 
three  or  four  feet  and  the  slender  shoots  allowed 
to  droop  over  gracefully.  When  trained  over  a 
bank  or  stone  wall  the  Forsythia  is  effective,  for 
its  growth  is  vigorous  and  its  foliage  bright  and 
clean. 

PHILADELPHIA  CORONARIUS,  or  Mock-orange,  is 
a  good  shrub  to  use  with  Lilacs;  it  is  generally  seen 
with  them  hanging  over  an  old  picket  fence,  or 
leaning  from  the  top  of  a  bank.  Its  blossoms 
have  the  same  odour  as  the  orange  flower,  from 
whence  its  popular  name  is  derived.  Old  speci- 
mens can  be  moved  easily,  but  they  grow  rapidly 
and  should  be  pruned  vigorously  into  shapeliness. 
Do  not  put  Syringas  in  clumps,  as  they  have  too 
much  character  to  be  used  in  that  way.  It  should 
hardly  be  placed  in  the  garden,  but  will  look  well 
in  front  of  the  house  in  the  same  way  that  Lilacs 
are  used. 


Old  Syringa  in  a  Cottage  Yard. 


GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD       151 

The  oldest  and  best  WEIGELIA  is  the  rosea.  In 
June  its  branches  are  weighed  down  with  crushed- 
strawberry  coloured  flowers,  and  it  blooms  again 
later  in  the  season.  It  is  easy  to  grow  and  devel- 
ops quickly,  but  it  is  not  so  desirable  as  either  the 
Lilac  or  Mock-orange ;  do  not  crowd  out  anything 
else  to  make  room  for  it.  The  other  Weigelias  do 
not  compare  to  it. 

VIBURNUM  PLICATUM,  or  Snowball,  has  better 
qualities  and  is  more  substantial  and  attractive 
than  the  Weigelia.  One  or  two  specimens  should 
be  used  along  the  paths  or  driveway. 

HIBISCUS  SYRIACUS,  or  Althea,  is  a  shrub  that 
you  will  find  in  the  old  yards,  very  often  grown 
into  a  large  tree  that  every  August  becomes  laden 
down  with  its  Hollyhock-like  flowers.  The  oldest 
colours  were  white  and  rose-pink,  and  a  rather  un- 
attractive purple  which  one  can  do  without  very 
well,  although  it  is  quite  quaint  in  its  homeliness. 
These  shrubs  were  plentifully  planted  near  the 
house,  or  as  screens  along  paths,  and  as  they  grow 
old  they  have  a  habit  of  bending  over  so  that 
they  present  a  venerable  appearance.  Althea  is 
necessary  for  old-fashioned  "  colour "  in  the  yard, 


152  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

and  is  also  desirable  to  plant  because  of  its 
strength  and  vigour. 

DEUTZIA  CRENATA  bears  a  white  flower  in  June 
and  grows  into  a  large  shrub  of  graceful  habit.  It 
should  be  planted  against  a  background  of  trees 
or  hedges,  on  the  outskirts  of  the  lawn,  with  some 
low-growing  plant  at  its  base,  such  as  German  Iris, 
for  the  lower  parts  of  the  branches  are  bare. 

The  FLOWERING  ALMOND  was  always  to  be  found 
in  New  England  dooryards.  It  is  a  small  shrub 
bearing  myriads  of  tiny  Rose-shaped  flowers  strung 
along  its  branches  before  the  leaves  appear;  there 
is  a  white  and  a  pink  variety.  It  is  a  good  shrub 
for  the  garden  as  it  blooms  very  early,  and  its 
associations  are  old-fashioned  and  respectable. 

Another  old-fashioned  shrub  about  which  much 
mystery  and  sentiment  hangs  is  the  CALYCANTHUS 
FLORIDUS,  or  Strawberry  Shrub,  whose  reddish- 
brown  inconspicuous  blossoms  have  a  strong  Pine- 
apple odour,  quite  pungent  and  very  acceptable 
to  childish  nostrils.  Be  sure  to  have  two  or  three 
of  these  bushes  clumped  together  somewhere  in 
the  yard — against  the  fence,  at  the  end  of  a  path 
slightly  secluded — for  your  children  would  miss  an 


GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD       153 

important  part  of  their  childhood  were  they  to 
grow  up  strangers  to  this  bush's  mysterious  spell. 
It  has  a  soothing  effect  and  a  sympathetic  one, 
and  children  are  apt  to  seek  it  when  overwhelmed 
by  fancied  troubles  that  they  cannot  unburthen  to 
their  elders,  or  plunged  in  the  unexplainable  mel- 
ancholy that  they  sometimes  experience,  and  that 
is  unfathomable  even  by  their  mothers. 

HYPERICUM  PROLIFICUM  is  a  little  yellow-flow- 
ering shrub  that  grows  well  and  blooms  in  the 
shade.  It  is  useful  along  wooded  paths  where  a 
little  colour  is  needed  in  Summertime  and  is  so 
hard  to  procure. 

CALIFORNIA  PRIVET  (Ligustrum  ovalifoliwri)  is 
an  effective  shrub  when  used  as  a  specimen.  Its 
colour  is  good  and  it  holds  its  leaves  so  long  that 
it  could  almost  be  called  an  evergreen  without 
stretching  the  imagination  very  far.  It  is  of  very 
quick  growth  and  may  be  shaped  readily  with  the 
shears  into  a  rotund  bush,  which  makes  a  very 
good  supplement  to  a  wooden  gatepost.  Privet 
is  easily  transplanted  and  it  is  possible  to  move 
large  specimens  without  risk.  It  will  do  much 
better  if  freely  supplied  with  water  and  the  foliage 


154  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

occasionally  sprayed,  if  the  hose  is  handy;  in  Mid- 
summer it  should  be  mulched  with  lawn  clippings 
to  keep  the  soil  from  drying  around  the  roots. 

The  BUSH  HONEYSUCKLE  (Lonicera  tartarica) 
was  introduced  many  years  ago  from  Russia,  but 
became  naturalized  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New 
York  and  was  a  feature  of  the  old  Westchester 
County  gardens,  in  whose  ruins  it  can  be  found 
to-day  long  after  the  houses  have  disappeared.  It 
is  almost  evergreen,  retaining  its  leaves  well  into 
January.  It  is  long  lived  and  attains  a  large  size, 
becoming  in  time  quite  as  gnarled  and  picturesque 
as  the  White  Lilac.  At  the  end  of  April  just  be- 
fore the  leaves  appear  its  long,  gracefully  drooping 
branches  are  completely  covered  with  a  sweet- 
scented  blossom  like  the  old-fashioned  honeysuckle, 
only  the  flowers  are  smaller  and  of  an  exquisitely 
delicate  construction.  Large  specimens  of  this  de- 
sirable shrub  may  be  successfully  moved,  and  if 
you  could  find  one  it  would  prove  a  great  addition 
to  your  grounds. 

RHODODENDRON  MAXIMUM,  the  native  Rhodo- 
dendron which  is  very  common  in  Pennsylvania 
and  southwards,  and  is  found  also  in  New  England 


GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD        157 

and  New  York,  has  been  used  much  for  naturaliz- 
ing in  the  past  few  years.  In  fact  it  has  been  used 
too  much,  especially  on  large  estates  where  it  is 
thickly  plastered  over  every  available  space.  The 
first  thing  a  millionaire  does  after  closing  the  pur- 
chase of  a  tract  of  land  on  which  to  build  a  mansion, 
is  to  order  a  train-load  of  Rhododendrons.  He 
evidently  seems  to  think  that  he  thus  establishes 
beyond  doubt  his  status  in  the  county.  Rhodo- 
dendrons are  much  more  effective  when  used  spar- 
ingly, and  planted  not  too  close  together,  for  they 
grow  into  dense  masses  of  thickly  matted  foliage 
and  crowd  each  other  out  in  a  short  time.  A  few 
Rhododendrons  are  a  great  addition  to  a  small 
place — a  carload  or  so  is  a  detriment.  The  loca- 
tion for  them  is  in  partial  shade  along  the  edge  of 
the  wood,  on  slightly  rising  or  uneven  ground.  A 
good  clump  thus  placed  where  it  will  be  seen  at  a 
slight  distance  from  the  driveway  is  more  enjoy- 
able, and  looks  better  than  enormous  plantations 
stretching  in  all  directions  like  a  nursery.  They 
will  not  grow  on  limestone  soil;  they  prefer  a  light, 
sandy  loam,  and  once  established  in  this  they  arc 
not  much  care  except  that  they  should  be  kept 


158  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

from  drying  out.  In  very  hot  weather  towards 
the  end  of  Summer  they  should  be  watered,  and  a 
mulch  of  rotted  manure  applied  during  July.  If 
you  live  in  the  latitude  of  New  York  or  northward 
procure  your  plants  from  New  England  or  northern 
New  York.  In  some  localities  they  are  found  in 
profusion  and  it  is  easy  to  transplant  large  speci- 
mens. The  broad-leaved  LAUREL  (Kalmia  lati- 
Jolid),  a  near  relation  of  the  Rhododendron,  is  a 
valuable  shrub,  considered  by  many  even  superior 
to  the  Rhododendron.  It  is  an  ideal  shrub  to  have 
near  the  house  as  its  form  is  most  attractive  and 
its  bloom  superb.  The  Laurel  blooms  a  little  later 
than  the  Rhododendron,  and  it  is  well  to  combine 
the  two  as  they  look  much  alike  and,  when  thus 
used,  the  blooming  season  of  the  clump  will  be  pro- 
longed. When  Rhododendrons  are  taken  from  the 
woods  they  are  apt  to  be  imperfect  in  conformation, 
and  therefore  not  as  desirable  for  specimens  to  use 
near  the  house  as  the  nursery  grown  hybrids  that 
are  imported  from  Holland  and  England.  English 
Rhododendrons  are  by  far  the  better  grown;  among 
those  that  are  recommended  by  W.  Robinson,  the 
English  authority,  and  which  are  hardy,  are: 


GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD  161 

ALBUM  ELEGANS          BLANDYANUM 
ALBUM  GRANDIFLORA   CARACTACUS 
C.  BAGLEY  C.  DICKENS 

EVERESTIANUM  LADY  ARMSTRONG 

LADY  CLAREMONT         PURPUREUM  ELEGANS 
ROSEUM  ELEGANS         H.  W.  SARGENT 
Both  the  Laurel  and  Rhododendron  are  evergreen. 
When  the  blossoms  have  faded  pick  off  the  seed 
pods  so  the  strength  of  the  plant  will  not  be  wasted. 
Rhododendrons  only  bloom  profusely  every  other 
year. 

Lilies  grown  in  the  bed  with  Rhododendrons  and 
Laurel  not  only  do  very  well  but  present  a  most 
charming  appearance.  Lilies  need  the  shelter  that 
the  Rhododendrons  so  well  supply,  as  they  are  sus- 
ceptible to  late  frosts  and  are  injured  by  the  buf- 
fetings  of  the  wind  which  they  do  not  well  with- 
stand. And  then  Lilies  do  better  in  the  partial 
shade  where  Rhododendrons  should  be  placed.  The 
bright,  glossy  leaves  of  the  shrubs  make  an  ideal 
background  and  base  for  the  graceful  nodding  caps 
and  bells.  Use  Lilium  longiflorum,  Lilium  umbella- 
tum,  Lilium  tigrinum,  Lilium  candidum,  Lilium 
auratum  for  a  succession. 


162  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

HOLLY  is  a  most  decorative  plant,  especially 
when  it  is  old  enough  to  bear  the  bright  red  berries. 
The  use  of  Holly  and  other  evergreens  in  religious 
ceremonies  dates  from  pagan  times  and  it  is  con- 
sidered in  these  days  a  welcome  addition  to  Yule- 
tide;  in  fact  it  has  grown  to  be  a  part  of  Christ- 
mas itself.  It  is  hard  to  nurse  the  English  Holly 
through  a  northern  Winter  unless  some  protection 
is  given  to  it.  It  is  a  good  shrub  for  the  yard,  and 
should  be  planted  where  it  may  be  seen  from  the 
house;  it  is  far  too  attractive  to  waste  its  sweetness 
on  the  desert  air,  as  it  well  might  if  planted  in  the 
garden,  for  it  is  in  Winter  that  it  is  at  its  best. 

The  NATIVE  HOLLY  (Ilex  opaca)  which  is  found 
from  Massachusetts  southwards  to  Florida  grows 
into  a  tree  ten  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  com- 
pact head  of  spreading  branches.  It  is  particu- 
larly good  in  Virginia  and  was  used  there  quite 
often  near  the  house.  It  is  not  often  found  in 
northern  gardens,  although  there  is  no  reason  why 
effective  and  beautiful  hedges  could  not  be  made 
of  it. 

The  best  small  trees  and  shrubs  to  plant,  in  the 
order  named,  are: 


GOOD  SHRUBS  FOR  THE  YARD 


163 


Trees 

NATIVE  WHITE  FLOW- 
ERING DOGWOOD 
NATIVE  RED  THORN 
LABURNUM 
MAGNOLIA 

Evergreen  Shrubs 
Box 
HOLLY 

RHODODENDRON 
LAUREL 


Shrubs 
LILAC 

PHILADELPHIA 
TARTARIAN    HONEY 

SUCKLE 
FORSYTHIA 
VIBURNUM 
DEUTZIA 
WEIGELIA 
HYPERICUM 


CHAPTER    IX 

WALLS    OF   STONE   AND    BRICK 

HE  most  ungainly 
fence  that  has  ever 
been  devised  is  made 
by  running  lengths  of 
gas  pipe   through  upright 
wooden   posts,   and   coup- 
ling them  together.     From 
an  aesthetic  point  of  view  such  a  fence 
has  not  one  redeeming  feature,  its  ugli- 
ness stands  out  uncompromisingly  and 
detracts  from  whatever  beauty  the  house 
and  grounds  may  possess.     It  is  strong 
and  easy  to  construct,  and  is  quite  cheap 
considering  its  substance;   and  it  has  a 
smug,  neat  appearance  that  many  people 
cannot  resist.     They  excuse  the  use  of  it 
by  saying  that  they  intend  to  cover  it 
quickly  with   vines.     They   may  cover 
it  but  they  cannot  hide  it;   the  most 
165 


166  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

luxurious  tropical  growth  would  be  unable  to  veil 
its  protruding  personality.  You  would  know  it 
was  a  gas-pipe  fence  if  it  was  boarded  up  and  vines 
trained  over  the  boards,  and  you  would  shudder 
when  you  passed  it  and  instinctively  anathematize 
the  plumber  that  invented  it.  If  men  arc  known 
by  their  works  you  would  recognize  a  man  who 
built  such  a  fence  around  his  yard  or  garden  as 
one  who,  although  he  might  be  rich,  yet  was  penu- 
rious; perhaps  kind  to  his  wife  and  children,  but 
possessing  no  real  affection;  and  you  would  pity 
his  family.  You  would  place  him  as  a  tradesman 
who  had  risen  from  the  ranks,  but  who  certainly 
deserved  to  be  degraded  again,  and  sum  up  by 
adding  that  whatever  he  was  he  possessed  no  soul; 
for  souls  and  gas-pipe  fencing  are  farther  apart 
than  earth  and  Heaven. 

A  wire  fence  is  not  so  bad  because  it  is  incon- 
spicuous; it  is  often  necessary  to  erect  one  to  keep 
the  grounds  and  garden  inviolate  from  marauding 
dogs  and  fowls,  and  a  hedge  can  be  grown  around 
it,  quickly  obliterating  its  outlines  from  the  land- 
scape. When  a  hedge  is  used,  however,  a  gas-pipe 
fence  is  unnecessary,  because  it  cannot  keep  out 


WALLS    OF    STONE    AXD    BRICK  169 

small  animals,  and  cows  and  horses  know  enough 
to  go  around  through  the  gateway.  The  posts  of 
a  wire  fence  should  be  made  so  light  and  thin  that 
they  are  almost  invisible. 

Next  in  ugliness  to  the  gas-pipe  fence  is  the  wall 
that  is  made  of  mortar,  with  stones  of  various 
shapes  and  sizes  stuck  into  it  after  the  manner  of 
raisins  and  almonds  in  a  plum  cake,  presenting  a 
very  rococo  appearance.  Field  stones  laid  in  mor- 
tar, with  deeply  sunken  joints,  is  a  modified  form 
of  this  atrocity.  These  walls  are  extremely  com- 
monplace and  should  be  used  only  with  houses 
built  of  field  stone  or  in  the  rustic  or  Swiss  chalet 
style,  on  a  mountain-side,  or  in  a  primitive  coun- 
try,— if  they  are  used  at  all.  They  should  never 
appear  near  a  garden,  for  the  beauty  of  beautiful 
flowers  is  degraded  by  their  coarse  ugliness.  At 
seashore  colonies  on  rockbound  coasts  they  are 
often  found;  and  the  dajuntless  Nasturtium  is  the 
only  flower  that  can  be  used  near  them  without 
appearing  ridiculous.  At  one  time  they  were  sup- 
posed to  be  artistic;  it  must  have  been  when  the 
tide  of  art  was  at  very  low  ebb  in  this  country. 
These  walls  are  insults  to  nature  when  used  among 


170  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

beautiful  wild  trees  such  as  Oaks,  and  cry  out  dis- 
cordantly in  semi-formal  arrangements.  At  the 
present  time  one  finds  them  around  jerry-built 
houses  of  hideous  architecture  and  gaudy  colour- 
ing. And  in  such  surroundings  they  are  more  at 
home. 

The  old,  rather  loosely  jointed  stone  walls  that 
are  common  in  New  York  and  New  England  are 
very  picturesque,  and  if  your  place  is  enclosed  by 
one  you  should  retain  it  by  all  means.  A  stone 
mason  will  set  it  to  rights  in  a  short  time,  level  it 
up,  fill  in  the  holes,  straighten  the  large  stones  and 
rehabilitate  it  generally,  at  a  small  expense. 
Good  capstones  should  be  laid  to  keep  the  other 
stones  in  place,  and  Honeysuckles,  Roses  or  Vir- 
ginia Creeper  planted  to  run  over  them.  You 
will  find  that  the  effect  cannot  be  improved. 

If  you  decide  to  have  a  wall  build  a  dry  one, 
that  is,  one  that  is  laid  up  without  mortar.  Do 
not  let  the  mason  construct  it  in  too  smooth  a 
manner,  but  try  to  get  the  effect  of  an  old  wall. 
The  Italian  stone  masons  are  very  expert  at  this 
work  (and  nearly  every  Italian  is  a  stone  mason) 
and  if  there  are  any  old  walls  on  your  place,  or 


Old  Stone  Wall. 


WALLS   OF   STONE   AND   BRICK  173 

any  stones  left  from  the  excavation  of  your  cellar, 
you  cannot  use  them  in  a  better  or  a  more  econom- 
ical way;  such  a  wall  will  last  forever.  In  work 
of  this  kind  it  is  always  best  to  use  native  stone 
and  not  to  import  any  of  strange  tones  or  colours. 

Walls  of  cut  stone  are  only  appropriate  for  elab- 
orate parks  when  the  house  is  built  of  cut  stone. 
The  character  of  the  walls  and  fences  should  be 
determined  by  the  character  of  the  house,  espe- 
cially if  they  will  be  seen  together.  You  do  not 
want  your  gateway  to  appear  as  if  it  had  been  con- 
structed for  some  mansion  that  has  since  been 
destroyed,  and  was  utilized  to  save  the  bother 
of  building  another. 

Walls  are  too  massive  and  heavy  to  use  for  gar- 
den enclosures,  unless  they  are  connected  with  the 
house  to  form  a  forecourt,  for  instance,  or  unless 
the  features  of  the  land  demand  them,  when  the 
garden  can  be  placed  in  their  shelter.  A  small 
garden  situated  on  the  lawn,  or  near  it,  should  not 
be  enclosed  by  a  wall;  a  picket  fence  or  a  hedge  is 
far  better.  The  custom  of  shutting  in  a  garden 
with  high  walls  is  not  followed  in  America  except 
when  such  a  course  is  necessary  to  secure  privacy; 


174 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


the  sentiment  of  the  country  is  opposed  to  it.  The 
walled  grounds  and  gardens  of  England  are  survi- 
vals of  mediaeval  days  when  one's  neighbours  were 
inquisitive  and  generally  obnoxious.  We  admire 


Picket  Fence  on  a  Low  Brick  Wall 

them  as  curiosities,  quaint  relics  of  the  past,  but 
we  should  not  long  to  imitate  them. 

By  far  the  best  material  to  use  for  walls  on  a 
small  place  is  brick,  the  ordinary,  everyday  brick 
that  is  made  on  Long  Island  or  in  the  Hudson  val- 
ley, not  the  smooth,  weirdly  red  pressed  brick  that 
is  used  for  chimney  pieces  and  the  fronts  of  houses. 
Harvard  brick  is  a  pretty  good  colour  and  texture, 
though  a  little  dark,  but  if  you  use  it  eschew  the 
black  headers  for  they  give  a  speckled,  artificial 
effect  that  is  out  of  place  in  a  garden.  The  com- 
mon brick  ages  rapidly;  the  red  softens  down  and 
the  lines  lose  their  hardness.  Near  the  coast  where 


WALLS    OF    STONE    AND    BRICK  175 

there  is  a  great  deal  of  moisture  it  looks  antique 
in  a  year's  time.  It  is  soft  and  brittle,  too,  and 
wears  and  crumbles  away  in  the  most  enchanting 
manner.  It  gives  the  needed  colour  to  a  garden 
in  Winter,  and  most  flowers  look  well  growing 
against  or  near  it;  altogether  it  is  most  desirable 
if  it  can  be  used  without  appearing  to  strain  for 
effect.  Face  a  retaining  wall  with  brick,  or  build 
brick  piers  at  the  corners  of  the  garden  between 
the  hedges.  For  making  a  flight  of  steps  it  is  far 
and  away  ahead  of  stone;  and  it  combines  excel- 
lently with  the  materials  that  are  most  used  in 
the  construction  of  small  houses, — brick,  stucco, 
shingles  or  clapboards. 

The  best  stone  to  trim  brick  with  is  marble,  but 
unless  marble  is  used  in  trimming  the  house  it 
would  be  too  conspicuous  in  the  garden.  Blue- 
stone  is  bad;  never  use  it  to  cap  brick  walls  or 
make  steps  of,  especially  dressed  or  cut  bluestone. 
The  best  cap  for  a  brick  wall  is  what  masons  call 
a  rowlock,  bricks  stood  on  their  sides  and  over- 
hanging the  wall  for  two  or  three  inches  front  and 
back.  The  rowlock  cap  was  used  extensively  in 
the  South  where  bricks  were  a  favourite  material 


176 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


in  all  construction.  There  are  miles  of  beautiful 
walls  in  Annapolis,  Maryland,  capped  this  way, 
or  with  the  round  moulded  cap  which  makes  an 


Q 


OJnOnH 


Another  Wall  with  Picket  Fence 

attractive  finish.  You  can  get  moulded  bricks 
nowadays,  but  be  sure  that  they  are  of  the  same 
character  and  colour  as  those  used  in  the  wall. 

Walls  under  six  feet  in  height  are  usually  made 
one  foot  thick,  but  eight  inches  is  sufficient  if  the 
wall  is  built  in  the  right  way,  with  three  courses 
of  stretchers  and  then  one  of  headers,  and  the 
joints  filled  in  with  good  mortar  made  of  Portland 
cement.  If  you  are  afraid  the  rowlock  cap  will  not 
withstand  the  weather,  let  the  mason  float  three- 
eighths  of  an  inch  of  Portland  cement  over  it.  This 
is  a  good  precaution  in  Northern  climates  and  does 


WALLS   OF   STONE   AND    BRICK  177 

not  detract  much  from  the  effect  of  the  wall.  The 
foundation  for  a  wall  should  be  at  least  three  feet 
and  a  half  deep,  or  down  to  solid  rock;  otherwise 
the  frost  will  be  sure  to  get  under  it  and  throw  it. 


Old  Southern  Wall  with  Moulded  Brick  Cap 

Above  is  a  picture  of  an  old  Southern  wall  with 
a  moulded   cap;    and   on  the  next  page  can  be 


178 


COMMON    SENSE    GAKDEXS 


seen  a  wall  around  the  garden  of  a  house  near  Bal- 
timore that  was  built  in  1773.  Note  how  ex- 
tremely well  the  house  and  wall  combine.  Never 
use  tile,  especially  glazed  tile,  to  cap  a  brick  wall; 
no  finish  at  all  would  be  preferable. 

The  Southerners  used  a  very  good  combination 
of  brick  wall  and  picket  fence;  there  is  such  an 
enclosure  on  one  side  of  the  garden  at  Mt.  Vernon. 
On  page  174  there  is  a  reproduction  of  this  fence 
which  has  been  built  to  make  a  forecourt  for  a 


Old  Brick  Wall  with  Moulded  Cap 

house  of  Colonial  design,  and  to  shut  off  the 
kitchen  garden  from  the  lawn.  The  trees  around 
it  are  very  old,  pyramidal-shaped  Cedars,  and 


WALLS   OF   STONE   AND    BRICK  179 

there  is  a  large  Pin  Oak  at  one  end  of  it.  They 
all  look  as  if  they  had  grown  up  together,  the  hap- 
piest of  families.  The  fence  combines  so  well  with 
the  house  that  it  seems  to  be  a  part  of  it,  and  the 
whole  effect  is  decorative  and  old  fashioned.  The 
gate  of  the  fence  is  a  slight  modification  of  the 


Brick  Retaining  Wall 

gate  at  Mt.  Vernon.  The  rounded  pickets  of  the 
fence  are  used  in  the  top  panels  instead  of  the 
square,  pointed  ones  of  the  original;  otherwise  it 
is  a  faithful  reproduction.  It  is  a  good  rule 
when  copying  old  forms  to  stick  to  the  originals 
as  closely  as  possible,  and  make  them  fit  into  the 
surroundings.  On  page  176  there  is  another  ex- 
ample of  this  style  of  fence  with  long  and  short 
pickets  morticed  into  the  rails. 

The  drawing  shows  a  retaining  wall  built  of  stone 
and  faced  with  brick.  Such  walls  are  inexpensive 
to  build  and  are  very  effective.  The  one  illustrated 
was  placed  in  a  small  garden  that  is  a  little  below 


180 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


the  level  of  the  lawn.  A  straight  path  between 
Privet  hedges  leads  from  the  front  porch  to  a  flight 
of  brick  steps,  and  along  the  top  of  the  wall  a  low 
Privet  hedge  has  been  planted.  It  forms  a  charm- 
ing background  for  Hollyhocks,  and  Lilies  and 


Old  English  Gate 

Larkspur,  and  although  only  four  years  old  it  has 
become  soft  and  subdued. 

The  handgate  shown  here  is  a  simple  one  and 
could  be  reproduced  with  good  effect;  do  not  use 
elaborate  gates  for  they  do  not  belong  to  this 
period,  or  style  of  wall.  The  picket  fence  that  is 
used  on  a  brick  wall  should  always  be  painted 


WALLS    OF   STOXE    AND    BRICK  183 

white.  Whitewash  gives  a  better  colour  if  you  can 
make  it  so  that  the  first  shower  will  not  wash  it 
off,  a  thing  that  I  have  never  been  able  to  do. 
Powdered  rice  is  mixed  with  it  to  make  it  stick. 
If  whitewash  is  to  be  used,  the  posts  and  pickets 
should  be  made  of  rough,  unplaned  wood. 

The  most  charming  results  were  produced  in  the 
South  with  bricks,  the  people  seeming  to  under- 
stand their  possibilities  there  better  than  in  any 
other  part  of  the  country.  But  the  South  was 
more  prosperous  then  than  New  England,  and 
bricks  were  an  expensive  material;  for  some  years 
they  had  to  be  imported  from  England. 


CHAPTER  X 

FENCES    AND   HEDGES 

PICKET  fences  of  the 
same   character    as 
those  seen  in  com- 
bination with  brick 
walls,  make  good  enclos- 
ures for  gardens.     The  use 
of  pickets  or  palings  dates 
at  least  from  the  sixteenth  century,  when 
Englishmen  utilized  them  if  brick  and 
stone,  their  favourite   materials,    could 
not  be  procured.     They  painted   them 
green,  but  the  Colonial  fences  from  which 
those  of  to-day  are  patterned  were  in- 
variably white.    The  later  Colonial  archi- 
tecture is  a  modification  of  the  Georgian, 
which  has  left  its  impress  on  many  parts 
of  the  Eastern  States.     It  was  adapted 
by  the  colonists  to  the  climate  and  their 
pocketbooks,  and  thus  became  softened 
185 


186  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

and  toned  down  to  a  pleasing  extent.  A  white 
picket  fence  with  a  few  good  vines  trained  over  some 
of  the  posts  and  along  the  pickets,  makes  a  very 
light  and  graceful  enclosure  that  is  an  addition  to 
the  setting  of  a  shingled  house,  or  one  of  stucco  or 
brick. 

The  posts  of  such  a  fence  should  be  made  of 
Chestnut  or  Locust  (the  latter  is  the  more  dura- 
ble), and  it  is  better  to  tar  the  ends  that  are  put 
in  the  ground.  The  cap  is  built  on,  and  should 
be  surmounted  by  a  finial  of  some  sort  to  set  it 
off,  an  urn  or  a  ball  or  an  acorn.  The  urn  is 
Georgian,  the  acorn  is  found  on  fences  in  England 
of  a  much  earlier  period,  and  is  appropriate  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Oak  trees.  Such  finials  can  be 
turned  at  any  mill,  but  as  soon  as  they  leave  the 
lathe  they  should  be  set  in  linseed  oil  and  left 
until  thoroughly  saturated;  then  given  a  heavy 
coat  of  white  lead,  for  otherwise  they  will  check 
and  split  off  when  exposed  to  the  weather. 

The  arched  gateway  on  page  1 89  is  a  simple  one, 
but  of  ancient  origin.  In  the  "Romance  of  the 
Rose"  there  is  an  illumination  of  a  garden  that 
dates  from  the  fifteenth  century,  and  in  it  there 


Box  Walk ;    Mt.  Veriion. 


FENCES    AND    HEDGES 


189 


is  a  gateway  dividing  a  fence  that  is  practically 
identical  in  form  and  appearance  to  this  one.  The 
garden  was  surrounded  by  an  embattlemented  wall. 


Arched  Gateways 

The  gateway  in  the  picture  is  reproduced  from  one 
that  stands  in  an  old  garden  at  Portsmouth,  New 
Hampshire.  On  the  next  page  a  section  of  fence  is 
pictured.  Such  a  fence  is  not  expensive  to  build 
and  the  effect  is  good.  Vines  should  be  trained 
on  the  posts,  and  used  with  discretion  on  the 
pickets.  Light  vines  such  as  Clematis,  Rose, 
Honeysuckle  or  Virginia  Creeper  are  the  best 


190 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


kinds.      On  page  193  are  some  good  posts  that 
may  be  used  with  either  fences  or  hedges. 

Box,  Privet,  Hemlock,  Arbor  Vitsc,  Holly  and 
Spruce  are  suitable  for  hedges.  A  hedge  is  really 
the  best  thing  with  which  to  enclose  a  garden, 
or  the  path  leading  to  one,  if  it  is  situated  on 
the  lawn.  A  hedge  needs  some  setting  off,  how- 
ever, and  brick  piers  or  painted  wooden  posts 
(page  193)  should  be  used  for  the  four  corners 
and  entrance;  or  for  the  latter  a  wooden  arch  as 
seen  on  the  previous  page.  A  good  combination 
of  hedge  and  arch  is  shown  opposite,  to  use 
for  a  path  when  a  partly  arboured  pathway  is 
desired.  The  arches  may  be  covered  with  either 


RfifiRf 

RfiflfOlflflR 

^Qoooooonfir 

MiiiifiiiM 

jj|0oo 

!;'_      _ 

iu 

A  Picket  Fence 


Honeysuckles  or  Roses;  the  former  are  really  better 
for  they  carry  their  blossoms  nearly  all  Summer 
and  are  almost  evergreen;  in  fact  by  the  time 


FENCES   AND    HEDGES 


193 


they  lose  their  leaves  most  people  have  lost  their 
interest  in  outdoors  for  the  season.  If  you  use 
Roses  plant  Wichurianas,  or  their  hybrids,  for  their 
foliage,  though  of  delicate  construction,  is  a  rich 
dark  green  that  holds  well,  and  is  not  much  pestered 
by  insects.  The  Ramblers  are  really  worthless  for 
any  position  that  will  be  prominent  the  whole  sea- 
son. Privet  can  be  used  for  the  hedge  part,  al- 
though Box  would  be  better;  or  Roses  or  Honey- 
suckles may  be  festooned  from  post  to  post  instead 
of  the  hedge;  or  both  used  and  the  hedge  kept 


Some  Posts  for  Fences  or  Hedges 

low.     If  the  posts  are  used  without  a  hedge  they 
should  have  bases  built  on  like  the  caps. 


194  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

Hemlock  is  fine  hedge  material.  It  has  a  grace- 
ful, feathery  growth  and,  when  clipped  well,  presents 
a  smooth  appearance,  the  fine  foliage  interlacing. 
If  grown  for  a  hedge  the  top  should  be  bevelled, 
for  if  left  flat  the  snow  and  ice  will  lodge  on  it  and 
weigh  it  down,  destroying  the  lighter  branches. 
Hemlock  does  well  in  the  shade,  which  is  more 
than  can  be  said  of  most  plants  that  are  appro- 
priate for  hedges.  It  should  be  protected  from  the 
sun  the  first  Winter,  especially  if  it  is  on  the  south 
side  of  a  wall  or  fence,  or  else  it  will  be  scalded. 
When  planting,  cut  back  the  tops,  and  do  not  trim 
it  the  first  year  or  two.  The  Hemlock  hedge  on 
the  next  page  is  on  the  south  side  of  a  wall,  but  is 
well  shaded  by  the  Elms  and  Maples  that  sur- 
round it.  It  composes  beautifully  with  the  old  dry 
rubble  that  shelters  it  from  the  north  winds. 

Privet  is  a  shrub  that  has  been  roundly  abused 
both  in  England  and  America;  some  people  have 
given  up  planting  it  because  they  consider  it  too 
commonplace;  others  have  torn  it  out  for  the  same 
reason  and  replaced  it  with  something  not  half  so 
good.  Nurserymen  recommend  other  plants  to 
take  its  place,  and  one  that  they  seem  to  favour 


FENCES    AND   HEDGES  197 

at  the  present  time  is  Japanese  Barberry.  Bar- 
berry is  an  attractive,  low  growing  shrub,  but  as 
it  cannot  be  trimmed  effectively  it  is  useless  where 
a  good  hedge  effect  is  wanted.  Ilex  Crenata,  Jap- 
anese Holly,  makes  a  nice  hedge,  but  it  is  not 
hardy  much  north  of  Richmond. 

California  Privet  is  of  very  quick  growth  and 
possesses  so  many  good  qualities  that  it  should 
not  be  ignored.  If  you  have  a  hedge  of  it  and  can 
afford  the  room  in  your  kitchen  garden,  or  some 
out-of-the-way  corner  of  your  place,  you  can  prop- 
agate good  plants  from  the  clippings.  These  will 
come  in  very  handy  either  to  set  new  hedges  with, 
or  to  fill  up  gaps  that  may  occasionally  occur  in 
the  old  one.  Plant  the  cuttings  with  two  eyes  in 
the  ground  and  two  eyes  out,  and  use  the  stoutest 
shoots  you  can  get.  Transplant  them  in  the  Spring 
and  thereafter  prune  them  into  shapely  specimens. 
Although  Privet  is  not  evergreen  it  retains  its 
colour  and  leaves  into  Winter,  and  when  once  it 
starts  to  grow  in  Spring  it  progresses  rapidly.  In 
fact,  one  drawback  to  Privet  as  a  hedge  is  the 
frequency  with  which  it  has  to  be  clipped  in  the 
growing  season. 


198  COMMON    SENSE    GARDEN^ 

Mature  Privet  does  not  seem  to  be  affected  much 
by  drought  unless  planted  very  near  rock,  but  it 
can  absorb  a  great  deal  of  moisture  and  does  better 
when  provided  with  it;  young  plants  should  be 
carefully  watered  in  dry  seasons  to  assure  their 
good  health.  It  will  grow  in  partial  shade  but  will 
not  thrive  there;  the  part  of  a  hedge  that  is  under 
the  trees  always  looks  scraggly  and  mean.  In 
some  parts  of  New  England,  in  exposed  positions, 
Privet  cannot  be  successfully  grown.  It  will  do 
well  apparently  in  any  ordinary  soil,  but  its  de- 
velopment is  wonderful  in  light  loam.  Be  sure  to 
top  dress  the  plants  in  the  Fall,  and  fork  in  the 
old  manure  in  the  Spring. 

If  a  Privet  hedge  is  used  to  enclose  a  garden, 
have  paths  parallel  it,  and  leave  only  a  space  of 
two  feet  or  so  between  the  paths  and  the  hedge. 
The  stone  filling  of  the  path  will  keep  the  roots  of 
the  Privet  from  intruding  on  the  garden,  and  from 
sucking  up  the  moisture  and  substance  from  the 
soil.  In  the  bed  that  borders  the  hedge  you  will 
be  able  to  grow  Nasturtiums,  but  not  much  else. 
The  tall  growing  Nasturtium  is  the  best  for  the 
purpose,  and  as  it  grows  it  should  be  trained  over 


Nasturtiums  climbing  over  Privet  Hedge. 


FENCES   AND   HEDGES  201 

the  hedge  and  let  fall  in  festoons  on  the  outside, 
or  along  the  top.  The  effect  obtained  by  such  a 
method  is  distinctly  good,  as  the  Nasturtium  will 
be  in  bloom  from  the  first  part  of  June  until  frost, 
and  the  bright  blossoms  are  well  shown  off  against 
the  dark  green  of  the  hedge.  In  some  of  the  best 
old  gardens  of  England  Nasturtiums  are  trained  in 
this  way  up  over  the  high  Yew  hedges  and  screens. 
The  seed  should  be  planted  about  the  tenth  of 
April  in  the  neighbourhood  of  New  York,  unless 
the  season  is  very  backward.  If  you  would  rather 
you  may  have  the  bed  between  the  path  and  hedge 
in  grass,  where  you  can  naturalize  clumps  of  Jap- 
anese Iris  with  Crocuses,  Tulips  and  Narcissi 
growing  between  them.  These  may  be  left  undis- 
turbed as  they  will  have  ripened  by  the  time 
the  grass  has  to  be  trimmed. 

To  obtain  the  best  results  with  Privet  as  a  hedge 
use  three-year-old  plants,  and  set  them  out  in  two 
alternate  rows,  fourteen  inches  apart,  and  eight  or 
ten  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  When  they  become 
established  in  this  way  the  branches  interweave 
and  form  a  compact,  sturdy  mass,  and  so  support 
each  other  that  the  snow  and  ice  of  the  severest 


202 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


Winters  will  not  break  them  down.  A  hedge  may 
also  be  made  with  a  single  row  with  less  expense, 
the  double  row  only  being  used  when  a  particu- 
larly substantial  result  is  desired.  After  setting 
out  Privet  cut  it  back  to  the  height  of  eight  or  ten 
inches,  and  keep  the  pruning  shears  well  employed 
for  the  first  and  second  seasons  at  least.  Such 
treatment  will  make  the  bushes  strong  and  stocky 


Old  Box  Hedge  near  Baltimore 

and  cause  them  to  furnish  close  to  the  ground,  so 
that  in  the  end  it  will  be  possible  to  trim  the  hedge 
square,  and  produce  a  clean  cut  wall  of  living 
green.  After  the  hedge  is  well  started  you  should 
cut  back  into  the  old  wood  every  year,  when  you 


FENCES   AND   HEDGES  203 

first  trim  it.  Beyond  the  clipping,  a  Privet  hedge 
takes  pretty  good  care  of  itself. 

Privet  is  a  very  good  material  for  an  amateur 
"topiarius"  to  practice  on.  It  grows  so  rapidly 
that  mistakes  are  quickly  covered  up,  and  with  a 
little  care  it  may  be  shaped  into  almost  any  form. 
Buttresses  may  be  made  to  hedges,  and  piers 
with  finials,  and  the  top  of  the  hedge  between  the 
columns  gracefully  turned.  Pleaching,  however, 
should  be  done  with  a  level  and  a  line  if  you  ex- 
pect to  get  satisfactory  results.  This  sort  of  work 
is  very  amusing  and  interesting,  and  adds  to  the 
general  effect  of  the  grounds;  but  a  little  goes  far 
on  a  small  place. 

Box  is  an  expensive  plant  to  use  for  hedging  pur- 
poses, but  there  is  nothing  so  good.  The  same  ef- 
fect cannot  be  got  with  Privet  or  Hemlock  or  any 
other  hedge  plant.  It  is  not  feasible  to  move  an 
old  hedge,  as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  fit  it  to- 
gether again,  although  some  nurserymen  claim  to  be 
able  to  accomplish  the  feat.  Plants  of  Tree  Box 
can  be  procured  from  the  nursery  fifteen  to  thirty- 
six  inches  in  height,  and  those  that  have  been  al- 
lowed to  grow  in  their  natural  way  should  be 


204  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

selected.  They  are  generally  more  or  less  pyram- 
idal in  form,  terminating  in  a  slightly  pointed 
top,  sometimes  in  two  tops.  Set  these  bushes 
close  together,  cut  the  tops  off  and  trim  the  sides 
level;  they  will  make  a  very  good  beginning  for  a 
hedge,  but  should  not  be  allowed  to  grow  upwards 
until  they  have  grown  well  into  each  other.  Such 
a  hedge  should  be  carefully  fertilized  every  year, 
and  if  it  is  in  a  slightly  exposed  position  it  should 
be  protected  with  a  screen  of  boards  until  well 
established.  It  will  not  be  necessary  to  board  the 
hedge  up,  in  fact  this  is  really  worse  for  it  than 
no  protection  at  all.  Cover  the  butts  with  coarse 
litter  or  salt-grass,  and  give  plenty  of  manure 
wrater  during  the  Summer,  and  especially  during 
the  growing  season.  On  the  next  page  there  is  a 
photograph  of  an  old  hedge  in  Westchester 
County,  New  York,  which  for  many  years  has  been 
well  established  on  the  top  of  a  stone  retaining 
wall,  hedging  in  the  yard.  It  was  badly  scarred 
in  the  Winter  of  1903-05,  and  at  present  writ- 
ing there  are  many  gaps  in  it  which  have  made 
the  heart  of  its  owner  sad.  A  garden  enclosed 
by  a  good  Box  hedge,  with  posts  at  the  corners 


FENCES   AND   HEDGES  207 

and  entrances,  makes  an  ideal  decoration  for  a 
lawn. 

Arbor  Vitsc  is  often  used  for  making  hedges,  but 
as  it  grows  old  it  is  apt  to  lose  some  of  its  lower 
branches  and  to  present  a  moth-eaten  appearance. 
A  beautiful  variety  is  the  golden  although  a  lit- 
tle too  decorative;  but  occidentalis  is  perfectly 
hardy  and  surer  to  succeed. 

Native  Holly  (Ilex  opaca)  makes  an  attractive 
hedge,  but  I  would  hardly  recommend  its  use  for 
enclosing  a  garden  in  northern  latitudes.  If  you 
have  some  position  that  is  sheltered  it  would  repay 
you  to  try  it,  for  it  is  particularly  beautiful  in 
Winter.  Spruce  is  too  coarse  and  clumsy  for  a 
hedge  except  on  a  very  large  scale,  and  it  will  not 
do  well  near  other  trees;  it  is  more  valuable  for  a 
screen  or  wind-break.  A  Spruce  hedge  does  not 
blend  well  with  a  garden  of  old-fashioned  flowers. 


CHAPTER  XI 

OLD   AND   NEW   ROSES 

LOSES  have  been  iden- 
tified  with  Eng- 
land   since     be- 
fore the  time  of 
gardens,  and  in  that  damp 
and  rather  sunless  isle  they 
flourish  exceedingly,  claim- 
ing more  attention  than  any  other  flower, 
and  blooming  profusely  for  five  months 
in  the  year.     An  Englishman  uses  Roses 
everywhere;  to  him  they  are  emblems, 
and  the  chief  delight  of  the  countryside 
where  he  passes  the  better  part  of  his 
life.     He  trains  them  over  his  house  and 
porch,  and   upon   the   high   walls   with 
which  he  delights  to  surround   himself, 
and  arches  them  over  the  garden  paths- 
he  makes  hedges  of  them  and  colonizes 
them  by  themselves  in  Rose   gardens, 

209 


210  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

where  he  spends  much  of  his  time  studying  their 
habits  or  watching  them  grow,  revelling  finally  in 
their  luxurious  bloom.  Unfortunately  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  New  York  and  to  the  northward,  we 
are  limited  in  the  use  of  Roses;  there  are  compara- 
tively few  varieties  that  do  well  under  ordinary 
garden  conditions,  and  that  can  be  brought  into 
satisfactory  bloom  without  the  services  of  a  skilled 
gardener. 

Although  a  Rosebush  is  a  thing  of  the  most  ex- 
quisite beauty  when  in  flower,  its  foliage  is  so  sus- 
ceptible to  mildew  and  rust  and  the  ravages  of 
insects,  that  by  the  time  the  bloom  has  passed  the 
plant  presents  a  bedraggled  appearance,  and  grows 
more  shabby  as  the  season  progresses,  so  that  it 
detracts  from  the  freshness  of  its  surroundings  and 
casts  a  sort  of  blight  over  the  other  flowers.  If 
for  no  better  reason  space  in  the  garden  should 
be  given  to  but  few  Roses,  and  they  ought  to  be 
so  placed  that  by  the  end  of  June  they  will  be 
overgrown  by  the  other  plants,  and  their  shabbi- 
ness  covered  up.  The  principal  features  of  a  small 
garden  should  be  its  freshness  and  vigour,  and 
freedom  from  any  suggestion  of  disease  among  the 


OLD   AND    NEW   ROSES  213 

flowers  which  it  contains.  The  long  canes  that 
roses  throw  out  quickly  after  blooming  and  that 
should  be  allowed  to  grow  uncut  to  develop  the 
bushes  properly,  are  most  ungraceful,  and  give  a 
ragged,  neglected  aspect  to  the  grounds.  The 
Roses  that  are  used  should  be  arranged  so  that  this 
awkwardness  will  be  swallowed  up  by  the  growth 
and  bloom  of  the  other  flowers. 

In  the  Rose  family  the  one  variety  that  seems 
to  be  entirely  immune  from  the  attacks  of  insects 
is  RUGOSA,  the  Japanese  Rose  that  grows  quickly 
into  a  bush  five  or  six  feet  high,  thickly  clothed 
with  dark  green  foliage  that  appears  early  in  the 
Spring.  It  bears  single  white,  or  reddish  pink  flow- 
ers, with  a  delicate  Rose  perfume,  in  May.  The 
haws,  or  seed  pods,  are  large  and  bright  red,  and 
are  quite  decorative,  for  they  are  conspicuous  amid 
the  healthy  green  foliage.  If  Rugosa  is  pruned  a 
little  through  the  Summer  it  will  bloom  abundantly 
until  Autumn.  This  Rose  should  have  a  place  in 
the  garden,  in  a  corner  or  somewhere  near  a  path 
where  its  perfume  will  not  be  entirely  lost;  its 
freedom  from  disease  makes  it  ever  welcome  to 
the  eye.  It  is  also  good  along  a  walk  in  the  yard, 


214  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

and  will  blossom  and  thrive  in  partial  shade.  It 
is  well  to  remember  that  the  red  variety  is  more 
vigorous  than  the  white,  and  will  grow  into  a 
larger  bush.  There  are  hybrids  of  Rugosa,  but  they 
are  not  as  satisfactory  as  the  parent.  Blanche 
Double  de  Coubert,  which  bears  a  double  white 
blossom  of  much  fragrance,  is  considered  the  best. 
Hybrids  of  this  sort  have  never  had  much  attrac- 
tion for  me;  the  chief  interest  and  beauty  of  the 
original  Rugosa  is  its  large  single  blossom  so 
charmingly  borne — then  somebody  comes  along 
and  hybridizes  it  into  an  Allegheny  Hollyhock! 
Satan  certainly  finds  much  mischief  for  idle  hands 
to  do. 

For  the  sake  of  association  there  are  several 
Roses  that  should  be  represented  somewhere  on 
a  small  place,  and  notable  among  these  is  the 
PROVENCE,  or  Cabbage  Rose  (Rosa  centifolia).  Its 
scent  is  the  typical  Rose  scent  that  one  associ- 
ates with  the  odour  of  Box;  it  is  the  most  fragrant 
of  aU  Roses.  Our  grandmothers  dried  the  petals 
and  put  them  in  jars,  to  which  they  turned  for 
refreshment  during  the  Winter  when  the  garden 
was  odourless. 


Old  English  Dove  Cote. 


OLD   AND   NEW   ROSES  217 

The  Moss  ROSE  is  a  variety  of  Provence  that 
has  a  distinct  scent  of  its  own,  more  aromatic  than 
that  of  the  Cabbage ;  and  a  feathery  growth  around 
the  calyx  that  got  it  its  folk  name.  The  best  Moss 
Roses  are: 

COMMON  Moss;  pale  pink  in  colour;  most  useful 
as  a  bud. 

WHITE  BATH;  white,  tinged  with  pink;  about 
the  best. 

CRESTED  Moss;  with  mossy  bud  and  crest;  very 
fragrant. 

BLANCHE  MOREAU;  a  beautiful,  large  rose  of 
good  shape;  produced  in  clusters. 

The  Moss  Roses  are  all  perfectly  hardy,  but  with 
the  exception  of  Crested  Moss  are  not  easy  to  grow 
on  account  of  their  extreme  susceptibility  to  mil- 
dew and  rust.  They  should  be  vigorously  pruned, 
for  their  growth  is  wild;  and  kept  out  of  the  flower 
garden. 

YORK  AND  LANCASTER  (Rosa  Gallica)  is  a  red 
and  white  striped  Rose  of  ancient  origin.  They  had 
it  in  England  in  the  sixteenth  century,  and  Shakes- 
peare mentions  it  as  one  "nor  red,  nor  white,  had 
stol'n  of  both."  It  used  to  be  a  favourite  in  the 


218  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

old  gardens  of  America,  and  in  the  Van  Cortland 
garden,  at  Croton,  New  York,  there  is  a  specimen 
which  Mrs.  Earle  estimates  to  be  over  a  century 
old;  it  is  still  quite  vigorous  and  bears  many 
blossoms  every  year.  York  and  Lancaster  may 
be  had  of  modern  growers,  and  should  be  placed 
in  the  rose  garden,  or  near  a  front  yard  path. 

ROSA  LUCIDA  is  a  Rose  of  American  origin  which 
Miss  Jekyl,  the  noted  English  amateur,  says  is  one 
of  the  commonest  Roses  in  old  English  gardens. 
She  complains  that  a  Rose  which  has  for  so  long 
been  popular  in  England  has  never  received  an 
English  name.  Its  nomenclature  is  derived  from 
the  glossy  green  of  its  leaves.  The  flowers  are 
large  and  single  and  borne  in  clusters;  they  come 
into  bloom  in  July  and  last  several  weeks.  This 
Rose  can  be  supplied  by  nurserymen,  and  could  be 
used  with  good  effect  for  naturalizing  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  garden. 

There  were  few  yellow  Roses  in  the  very  old  gar- 
dens; for  some  time  BANKSIA  was  about  the  only 
representative  of  that  colour.  In  the  year  1830 
PERSIAN  YELLOW  and  HARRISON'S  YELLOW  were 
introduced,  The  flowers  of  the  former  are  of  good 


OLD   AND   NEW   ROSES  221 

colour  but  small.  Harrison's  Yellow  bears  a  me- 
dium size  semi-double  flower  and  blooms  much 
freer  than  Persian.  It  makes  an  attractive-looking 
bush  but  should  riot  be  placed  in  the  garden,  rather 
on  some  distant  spot  where  it  may  be  seen  and 
not  heard,  for  its  fair  flowers  cry  to  Heaven.  If 
you  should  by  some  untoward  accident  pluck  one 
of  the  rather  tempting,  golden  blossoms,  and  in- 
vestigate it  with  your  nose,  it  will  seem  to  you  as 
if  all  the  insects  in  the  garden  had  crawled  into 
it  and  died. 

There  were  many  Summer  Roses  grown  in  the 
New  England  yards  that  have  disappeared  entirely 
from  present-day  gardens.  The  old  yards  were 
overrun  with  Roses,  running,  climbing,  standing, 
reclining,  and  creeping  over  everything;  in  June 
the  dooryards  must  have  presented  a  carnival  ap- 
pearance. When  they  began  to  wane,  however, 
the  garden  lost  its  interest  to  a  great  extent,  for 
these  old  Summer  Roses  rarely  bloomed  more  than 
once  in  a  season.  And  what  a  beautiful  time  the 
bugs  must  have  had!  To-day,  the  Hardy  Perpet- 
uals  and  the  Teas,  and  the  modern  Climbers  have 
taken  their  places.  The  English  SWEETBRIAR  (eg- 


222  COMMON   SENSE   GARDENS 

lantine)  was  brought  over  at  an  early  date;  perhaps 
it  came  in  the  "  May  flower"  along  with  the  ten 
thousand  spinning  wheels,  chests  and  chairs  that 
were  ferried  to  the  New  World.  It  was  so  generally 
cultivated  that  it  escaped  to  the  roadside  and  mas- 
querades to-day  as  a  wild  Rose.  It  is  unique  be- 
cause of  its  sweet-scented  foliage;  and  may  be  had 
from  the  nurseries  under  the  name  of  Rubignosa. 
An  old  Rose  of  much  merit  because  of  its  bush- 
like  form  and  plenitude  of  bloom  is  MADAME  PLAN- 
TIER,  introduced  in  1835.  The  colour  of  the  flow- 
ers is  white  and  they  are  borne  early  in  the  season; 
as  many  as  a  thousand  blossoms  have  been  counted 
on  one  bush.  If  these  old  Roses  are  wanted,  most 
of  them  will  have  to  be  sought  in  the  old  gardens, 
from  whence  the  proprietors  doubtless  will  let  you 
take  cuttings  if  you  approach  them  in  an  humble 
and  reverent  spirit.  The  new  Roses  of  course,  do 
not  always  console  one  for  the  loss  of  the  old;  one 
longs  for  the  sights  and  the  smells  of  childhood 
almost  as  much  as  for 

"  the  touch  of  a  vanished  hand, 
And  the  sound  of  a  voice  that  is  still." 

The  perfumes,  the  sentiment,  are  not  the  same. 


Stone  Steps  and  Gateway. 


OLD   AND   NEW   ROSES  225 

But  one  cannot  have  everything,  and  modern  Roses 
have  a  beauty  and  charm  of  their  own  that  flower 
lovers  cannot  fail  to  appreciate,  although  in  the 
depths  of  their  hearts  they  are  sure  that  they  do 
not  compare  to  the  less  gaudy,  though  more  fra- 
grant blossoms  of  the  olden  days. 

Following  is  a  list  of  some  of  the  old  Roses,  with 
their  bloom  and  some  of  their  characteristics  de- 
scribed briefly. 

DAMASK  ROSE,  of  which  Rosa  mundi,  or  York 
and  Lancaster  is  a  variety;  used  by  the  colonists 
for  rose  water;  in  the  East  for  attar  of  roses. 

CRIMSON  BOURSAULT  (Alpine  Rose). 

BANKSIAN;  double  yellow,  from  China  in 
1807. 

MUSK  ROSE  (Rosa  Moschata);  used  in  the  East 
for  attar  of  roses. 

The  sweet-scented  JUNE  ROSE  of  many  thorns, 
common  to  the  dooryards  of  New  England  and 
New  York. 

The  CINNAMON  ROSE;  in  some  parts  of  England 
called  Whitsuntide,  with  small  flat  flowers,  and  a 
distinct  cinnamon  odour. 


226  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

SCOTCH  BRIAR,  or  Burnet-leaved  Rose;  white  and 
yellow,  very  fragrant. 

ROSA  ALBA,  or  Maiden's  Blush;  an  old  cottage 
garden  rose;  white  and  pink.  This  rose  is  very 
susceptible  to  blight,  and  was  not  generally  an  or- 
nament to  the  garden  after  June. 

The  DOG  ROSE. 

The  BURGUNDY  ROSE. 

The  BLACK  ROSE. 

The  FAIRY  and  GARLAND,  two  miniature  Roses 
that  were  especially  dear  to  the  hearts  of  children. 

If  you  have  set  your  heart  on  having  Perpetual 
Roses  in  the  flower  garden,  plant  them  in  the  large 
beds  along  the  paths,  eight  or  nine  feet  apart,  and 
two  feet  in  from  the  edging,  so  that  other  flowers 
may  be  planted  in  front  of  them  and  they  will  be 
hidden  after  the  first  of  July.  This  treatment  is 
not  meant  to  be  recommended  as  a  particularly 
beneficial  one  for  Roses,  although  it  does  not  seem 
to  harm  them;  if  any  should  succumb  they  may  be 
easily  and  cheaply  replaced. 

ULRICH  BRUNNER  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  Re- 
montant Roses.  Its  foliage  is  particularly  healthy 
and  free  from  insects,  and  quite  thornless;  the 


OLD   AND  NEW  ROSES  227 

flowers  are  a  deep  cherry-red  colour,  borne  on  long 
stems.  It  blooms  freely  in  late  June,  and  reblooms 
in  September.  The  growth  of  this  Rose  is  strong 
and  vigorous,  and  the  buds  open  out  gradually, 
lasting  for  a  long  time  whether  left  in  the  garden 
or  cut  and  put  in  water.  The  greatest  drawback 
to  this  plant  is  its  want  of  compactness,  the  canes 
growing  to  the  length  of  two  feet  or  more  before 
throwing  out  buds. 

MAGNA  CHARTA  is  a  good  pink  Rose  that  bears 
many  flowers  on  rather  short  stems,  so  close  to- 
gether in  fact  that  they  have  the  effect  of  clusters. 
A  strong  and  vigorous  grower,  very  hardy  and 
making  a  shapely  bush  in  a  short  time.  Cut  off 
the  flowers  as  they  begin  to  fade  or  they  will  hinder 
the  growth  of  the  remaining  blossoms. 

GENERAL  JACQUEMINOT  is  the  well  known  dark 
red  Rose  that  blooms  more  brilliantly  after  a  severe 
freezing,  and  may  be  grown  without  the  slightest 
trouble.  The  flowers  are  almost  worthless  for  cut- 
ting as  they  do  not  hold  their  colour. 

COQUETTE  DES  BLANCHES,  a  hybrid  Noisette 
Rose,  but  may  be  considered  and  used  as  a  Re- 
montant. The  flower  is  white,  tinged  slightly  with 


228  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

pink.  It  makes  a  symmetrical  bush,  and  blossoms 
rather  late,  prolonging  the  Rose  season.  It  is 
hardy  and  easy  to  grow. 

PAUL  NEYRON,  the  largest  of  all  the  hardy  Roses, 
but  rather  difficult  to  bring  into  bloom  successfully 
on  account  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  buds,  and  the 
certainty  that  the  insects  will  destroy  them.  This 
Rose  will  look  shabby  and  uninteresting  unless 
much  attention  is  given  it,  and  its  foliage  fre- 
quently sprayed  from  the  time  the  leaves  begin  to 
appear. 

ANNE  DE  DIESBACH  is  a  hardy  Rose  and  a  good 
bloomer,  bearing  many  large  and  deliciously  fra- 
grant flowers  of  a  rich  carmine-rose  colour.  The 
flowers  are  of  fine  form  and  are  very  good  for  cut- 
ting; stems  quite  long.  A  charming  Rose,  and 
really  next  in  value  to  Ulrich  Brunner. 

MRS.  JOHN  LAING,  soft  pink  in  colour,  with  large, 
fragrant  blossoms,  and  perfectly  hardy;  a  good 
blooming  Rose. 

There  is  a  Polyantha  Rose,  CLOTHILDE  SOUPERT, 
that  should  have  a  place  in  the  garden.  It  is  white 
in  colour  often  changing  to  light  rose,  and  two 
distinct  colours  are  often  seen  on  the  same  plant. 


OLD   AND    NEW   ROSES  229 

There  is  a  pink  variety  that  is  also  good,  but  it 
does  not  bloom  quite  so  freely  as  the  white.  This 
little  Rose  bears  its  flowers  in  clusters  and  keeps 
putting  them  forth  unceasingly  from  the  middle  of 
June  until  the  black  frosts;  I  have  found  it  bloom- 
ing in  the  garden  after  several  days  of  hard  freezing 
weather.  It  is  of  a  most  modest  disposition  and 
will,  consent  to  bloom  unseen  for  an  indefinite  pe- 
riod. It  has  been  forgotten  in  the  garden  and 
allowed  to  become  completely  smothered  by  the 
rank  Midsummer  growth  of  Dahlia,  Phlox,  Zinnia, 
etc.,  and  yet  appeared  smilingly,  covered  with 
bloom  after  a  heavy  frost  had  mowed  down  its 
more  susceptible  companions.  It  has  never  re- 
quired more  protection  in  Winter  than  the  perpet- 
ual Roses. 

Transplant  Remontant  Roses  in  the  Fall  if  pos- 
sible ;  if  not,  then  very  early  in  the  Spring,  in  March, 
while  they  are  still  dormant  and  when  the  frost  is 
just  out  of  the  ground.  If  the  season  is  rainless 
watch  them  carefully  and  be  sure  that  they  do 
not  dry  out.  Very  good  Roses  are  grown  in  Cali- 
fornia, much  better  than  in  Holland,  and  these 
should  be  used  if  you  cannot  obtain  plants  from 


230  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

some  Northern  nursery.  Dormant  Roses  set  out 
in  the  Spring  will  not  bloom  well  the  first  year, 
and  will  be  a  little  later  than  those  established  in 
your  garden;  but  by  filling  out  with  dormant 
stock  each  year  you  will  prolong  the  blooming  sea- 
son to  quite  an  extent.  If  dormant  Roses  are  dried 
out  when  they  are  received  bury  them  in  a  damp 
trench  for  two  or  three  days,  and  they  will  come 
to  life  again. 

Remontant  Roses  do  better  in  clay  soil  but  will 
grow  perfectly  well  in  good  garden  loam.  If  pos- 
sible, get  Roses  that  have  been  grown  on  their  own 
roots,  but  if  they  are  budded  plants,  set  the  bud 
three  inches  underground  and  cut  off  any  shoots 
that  are  thrown  off  below  it,  as  soon  as  they  ap- 
pear. These  you  will  be  able  to  recognize  as  they 
differ  in  character  from  the  budded  growth.  The 
roots  of  Roses  should  not  come  in  contact  with 
stable  manure;  if  you  use  a  shovelful  in  the  ex- 
cavation cover  it  up  with  three  inches  of  good  soil 
and  let  the  roots  find  it.  Cow  manure  is  the  best 
to  use.  As  soon  as  the  buds  start  in  the  Spring 
saturate  the  ground  around  the  roots  with  manure- 
water  (half  cow,  half  horse),  of  the  colour  of  fairly 


OLD   AND    NEW   ROSES  231 

strong  tea,  twice  a  week  until  after  blooming  time. 
You  will  find  that  the  flowers  will  be  improved  in 
size  and  borne  more  profusely. 

Some  English  gardeners  in  the  Spring  lay  down 
two  or  three  of  the  long  shoots  of  the  Hardy  Per- 
petual Roses,  merely  cutting  off  a  couple  of  inches 
from  the  ends,  and  peg  them  to  the  ground.  The 
other  shoots  are  pruned  back.  In  this  way  more 
bloom  may  be  had,  but  of  course  the  method  should 
only  be  employed  in  the  Rose  bed  or  Rose  garden. 
The  next  year  these  shoots  are  cut  off  and  other 
shoots  pegged  down  to  take  their  places. 

The  Perpetual  Roses  that  have  been  described 
are  quite  able  to  withstand  the  hardest  Winter  in 
the  latitude  of  New  York,  and  there  is  no  neces- 
sity for  providing  straw  wrappers  for  them,  or  for 
laying  them  down  and  covering  them  up  with  straw 
or  leaves.  A  good  mulch  of  coarse  manure  mixed 
with  long  straw  is  all  they  need,  with  some  cow 
manure  spaded  in  lightly  in  the  Spring.  There- 
after the  ground  about  their  roots  and  between  the 
plants  should  be  kept  loosened  with  a  hoe  until 
the  Roses  have  bloomed;  after  which  time  once 
every  two  weeks  will  suffice  for  cultivation.  If  you 


232 


COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 


wish  to  have  healthy  plants  and  good  flowers,  the 
ground  must  be  kept  loose  and  fine. 

The  Roses  in  the  flower  garden  need  not  be 
pruned  back  so  vigorously  as  those  that  are  grown 
for  specimen  blooms.  The  idea  in  the  garden  is  to 
make  attractive  looking  bushes  that  will  be  covered 
in  due  season  with  flowers.  Cut  back  the  plants 
in  the  Spring  to  the  height  of  one  or  one  and  a  half 
feet,  leaving  the  thick  shoots  the  longest,  and  re- 
moving all  of  the  dead  wood. 


Rose   Beck 


CHAPTER  XII 

EVER-BLOOMING    AND    CLIMBING    ROSES    AND   VINES 

ONTHLY,    or 
Ever  -  blooming 
Roses,     need 
much  more  care 
than    the    Hybrid   Perpet- 
uals  and,  unless  given  it 
will  be  apt  to  prove  a  dis- 
appointment.    Although  they  are  called 
Ever-blooming  few  of  them  blossom  con- 
tinuously   throughout    the    season,    and 
the  name  is  misleading.     They  have  to 
be  watered  and  sprayed  and  coddled  to 
keep  them   in   good    health;    and   their 
leaves  watched  for  mildew,  which  is  pre- 
vented  by  sprinkling  powdered  sulphur 
over  them  early  in  the  morning,  when 
they  are  still  wet  from  the  dew.     The  soil 
in  the  beds  should  be   kept  loose  and 
fine  and  frequently  moistened,  especially 
233 


234  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

during  the  hottest  days  of  our   dry   and   trying 
Summers. 

They  are  not  hardy  and  should  be  covered  in 
Winter.  The  best  way  to  do  this  is  to  fence  the 
beds  in  with  wire  netting  two  and  a  half  or  three 
feet  high,  and  fill  the  enclosure  with  leaves,  laying 
down  the  long  shoots  so  that  they  will  be  well  cov- 
ered up.  A  few  cornstalks  or  scraggs  should  be 
laid  on  top  of  the  leaves  to  keep  them  from  blowing 
away.  This  will  provide  a  good  protection,  and  the 
roses  will  emerge  all  right  in  the  Spring  if  the  mice 
have  not  eaten  them  up.  To  guard  against  such 
an  appalling  contingency  "rat  biskit"  should  be 
plentifully  crumbled  up  on  the  bed  before  covering 
it,  and  some  of  the  pieces  of  the  poisoned  cracker 
scattered  through  the  leaves.  In  April  when  the 
covering  is  removed  the  bed  should  be  spaded  up 
to  the  depth  of  three  or  four  inches,  and  some  well- 
rotted  manure,  which  should  be  two  years  old  to 
insure  the  best  results,  worked  in.  As  soon  as  the 
leaves  appear  begin  to  spray  them  with  a  mixture 
of  tobacco  and  whale  oil  that  comes  in  cakes  like 
soap,  and  may  be  dissolved  in  a  pail  or  watering 
pot  as  you  wish  to  use  it. 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  237 

It  is  better  to  grow  Ever-blooming  Roses  in  beds 
by  themselves,  or  in  a  Rose  garden  where  you  may 
pick  the  flowers  every  day  and  their  beauty  will 
not  be  missed.  Perpetual  Roses  grown  in  the  same 
manner  will  give  more  satisfaction,  too,  than  if 
they  are  scattered  through  the  flower  garden.  If 
you  cannot  make  a  Rose  garden,  prepare  a  few  beds 
in  some  out-of-the-way  corner  of  the  place,  that  is 
\vell  drained  and  protected  from  Winter  winds, 
where  the  plants  will  get  the  early  morning  and 
the  afternoon  sun,  and  will  be  partially  protected 
from  the  blistering  heat  of  midday.  If  you  locate 
such  a  bed  with  an  eye  to  the  future,  some  day 
you  may  be  able  to  work  it  up  into  a  Rose  garden ; 
enlarged,  enclosed  by  a  hedge  or  fence,  and  more 
extensively  planted.  On  page  232  is  given  the 
plan  of  a  collection  of  Rose  beds  that  will  hold 
about  a  hundred  Roses;  and  on  page  235  the  same 
beds  appear  elaborated  into  a  garden. 

Ever-blooming  Roses  require  a  good  loam,  or 
compost,  richly  fertilized  with  old  stable  manure. 
They  should  be  set  two  feet  and  a  half  each  way 
in  the  beds,  so  that  they  will  have  plenty  of  light 
and  air,  and  sufficient  soil  to  nourish  them  prop- 


238  COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

erly.  Do  not  plant  Roses  too  near  the  roots  of 
large  trees,  and  be  sure  that  the  bed  is  well  drained, 
for  damp,  soggy  ground  is  the  worst  place  to  grow 
Roses. 

One  of  the  newest  and  best  of  the  Ever-blooming 
class  is  KILLARNEY,  a  beautiful  pink  Rose  with  an 
unusually  long  and  graceful  bud,  suggesting  in 
shape  forgotten  Catherine  Mermet.  The  pink  is 
of  a  very  delicate  but  fresh  shade.  This  is  an  Irish 
Rose,  and  has  become  popular  with  florists  who 
force  it  and  use  it  instead  of  the  long  popular 
Bridesmaid,  which  is  of  a  more  solid  pink.  Kil- 
larney  is  a  faithful  bloomer,  and  the  buds  and  flow- 
ers have  so  much  character  and  beauty  that  three 
or  four  are  all  that  is  needed  for  a  vase.  This  is 
a  hybrid  Tea  rose  of  vigorous  growth;  but  be- 
cause it  is  new  it  has  been  quite  expensive.  Three 
plants  of  Killarney,  however,  will  give  more  pleas- 
ure and  less  disappointment  than  a  dozen  of  almost 
any  other  sort. 

MILDRED  GRANT;  a  white  hybrid  Tea  Rose  of 
large  size,  with  curving,  shell-like  petals.  A  good 
Rose  for  cutting  as  the  flowers  are  of  much  sub- 
stance and  last  a  long  time  when  gathered.  In- 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  239 

troduced  by  Dickson  &  Sons,  and  considered  by 
them  one  of  their  best  Roses.  The  plant  is  quite 
vigourous  and  the  growth  strong.  A  Rose  that 
will  give  much  pleasure  and  satisfaction  to  the 
amateur,  and  is  a  good  companion  to  Killarney, 
which  it  resembles  in  many  respects. 

KAISERIN  AUGUSTA  VICTORIA  is  a  white  Rose  of 
very  rampant  growth,  apt  to  bloom  in  clusters  at 
the  end  of  long  branches;  the  buds  are  generally 
of  a  creamy  tint,  but  the  flowers  expand  into  the 
most  perfect  forms,  large  and  double,  with  an  ex- 
quisite perfume.  This  is  a  splendid  Rose  for  cut- 
ting, for  the  buds  will  open  gradually  in  water  and 
last  for  days.  The  Kaiserin  is  the  best  blooming 
of  all  the  monthly  Teas;  from  a  bed  of  twenty-five 
a  bunch  may  be  picked  every  day  from  June  until 
hard  frost.  This  is  the  white  Rose  so  much  used 
by  florists. 

SOUVENIR  DE  PRESIDENT  CARNOT  is  rosy  white 
in  colour,  with  long,  tight  buds  carried  on  long 
stems.  A  good  bloomer. 

MAMAN  COCHET  ;  large,  double  rose-coloured  flow- 
ers; the  buds  well  shaped;  blooming  profusely. 

GRACE  DARLING,  white  with  Peach-bloom  shades; 


2K)  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

an  exquisite  Rose  with  a  gracefully  shaped  bud; 
the  flower  large  and  full.  One  of  the  best  ever- 
blooming  Roses,  as  it  really  flowers  continuously 
during  the  Summer. 

CLARA  WATSON;  salmon  pink,  with  the  pink  in- 
tensified on  the  outer  edges  of  the  petals.  A  finely 
formed  bud  opening  into  a  full,  well-shaped  flower 
of  delicate  construction  and  colouring.  Very  good 
for  cutting  as  it  keeps  for  a  long  time,  and  is  a 
most  persistent  bloomer  during  the  Summer.  One 
of  the  best  Teas  for  a  Rose  garden. 

LA  FRANCE;  a  Rose  that  was  very  popular  a 
dozen  years  ago.  Its  flower  is  of  a  peculiar,  silvery 
pink  colour,  and  when  the  bud  opens  the  outside 
petals  fall  over,  leaving  a  bud-like  heart.  It  has 
much  character  and  is  a  good  bloomer,  but  is  both- 
ered by  insects  and  the  buds  are  apt  to  be  mildewed 
unless  the  garden  is  situated  in  a  very  dry  place. 
A  good  companion  to  Kaiserin  Augusta. 

CLOTHILDE  SOUPERT  (Polyantha) }  described  in 
previous  chapter;  a  most  free-blooming,  interest- 
ing variety. 

GRUSS  AN  TEPLITZ;  a  little  red  Rose  that 
blooms  freely  all  Summer,  but  is  borne  on  such 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  243 

weak  stems  that  it  is  quite  worthless  to  cut;  and 
it  fades  soon  after  placing  in  water.  It  is  quite 
effective  if  planted  in  quantities  as  a  bedding 
Rose,  for  its  freedom  of  bloom  can  be  relied  upon 
to  supply  colour  to  the  garden  throughout  the 
Summer. 

BESSIE  BROWN;  a  white  Rose,  large  and  with  a 
well-formed  effective  flower.  A  vigorous  grower 
and  blooms  abundantly.  This,  like  Killarney,  is 
one  of  Dickson  &  Sons'  Roses,  and  they  are  both 
desirable  for  the  Rose  garden. 

Following  is  an  additional  list  of  Monthly  Roses 
that  are  not  as  sure  blooming  as  those  mentioned 
above ;  but  all  will  give  much  delight  to  the  grower 
if  he  has  room  to  use  them.  It  is  impossible  to 
give  a  list  of  Roses  that  are  sure  to  succeed  with 
everybody.  Some  will  bloom  bountifully  for  one 
person,  and  not  at  all  for  the  next.  The  best  way 
is  to  find  out  from  experience  what  Roses  will  do 
well  in  your  garden,  and  to  make  much  of  these. 
The  soil,  the  location,  the  slight  variation  of 
climate  or  temperature,  the  exposure,  all  enter  into 
consideration  when  cultivating  this  most  fickle 
plant. 


244  COMMON  SENSE  GARDENS 

TEAS  AND  HYBRID  TEAS 
ANTOINE  RIVOIRE;  flesh  coloured. 
AUGUSTINE  GUINOISSEAU;  white. 
DUCHESS  OF  ALBANY;  pink,  sport  of  La  France. 
METEOR;  red. 
BALDWIN;  carmine. 
ADMIRAL  DEWEY;  pink. 
BELLE  SIEBRECHT;  rich  pink. 

BOURBONS 
APOLLINE;  pink. 

CHAMPION  OF  THE  WORLD;  light  pink. 
HERMOSA;  rose. 
MRS.  DE  GRAW;  pink. 

SOUVENIR  DE  MALMAISON  ;  blush  white.  One  of 
the  oldest  Roses  grown;  vigorous. 

POLYANTHAS 

MOSELLA;  white. 
PAQUERETTE;  white. 
CECILLE  BRUNNER;  salmon. 

If  you  have  a  Rose  garden,  or  a  few  Rose  beds, 
there  are  many  Remontant  Roses  that  should  be 
grown  as  well  as  the  Ever-blooming  varieties. 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  245 

Nearly  all  of  them  are  good,  and  some  have  partic- 
ular qualities  to  recommend  them  which  the  grower 
will  not  be  slow  to  appreciate.  Half  the  space  at 
least  should  be  given  over  to  the  Hardy  Perpet- 
uals,  for  although  their  blooming  season  is  com- 
paratively short  it  is  an  eventful  one,  and  to  many 
people  these  Roses  are  the  crowning  glory  of  June. 
To  have  a  country  place  and  not  to  be  able  to  revel 
in  Roses  is  very  much  like  inheriting  a  fortune, 
and  dying  of  starvation.  The  list  that  follows 
includes  most  of  the  perpetuals  that  are  worth 
growing : 

ALFRED  COLSOMB;  crimson. 

CAPTAIN  HAYWARD;  crimson. 

CAPTAIN  CHRISTY;  (Tea,  but  used  as  a  perpetual 
as  it  only  blooms  once);  pink  and  white. 

CLIO;  light  rose  pink. 

COMPTESSE  CECILLE  DE  CHABRILLANT;  deep  pink. 

FRANCOIS  LEVET;  cherry-red. 

FRANCOIS  MICHELON;  carmine. 

GLOIRE  LYONNAISE  (like  a  Tea  Rose  in  form  and 
perfume);  yellowish  white. 

HEINRICH  SCHULTHEIS;  pinkish-rose. 


246  COMMON   SENSE   GARDENS 

HELEN  KELLER;  cherry-red. 

JOHN  HOPPER;  rose. 

LADY  HELEN  STEWART;  scarlet. 

LA  REINE;  rose. 

MABEL  MORRISON;  white,  tinged  with  pink; 
odourless. 

S.  M.  RODOCANACHI;  light  pink. 

MADAME  GABRIEL  LUIZET;  pink. 

MARCHIONESS  OF  LONDONDERRY;  white. 

MARGARET  DICKSON;  white. 

MARGUERITE  DE  ST.  AMANDE;  rose. 

MARSHALL  P.  WILDER;  cherry-red. 

MRS.  R.  G.  SHARMAN  CRAWFORD;  pink. 

OSKAR  CORDEL;  carmine. 

PAUL'S  EARLY  BLUSH;  light  blush  pink. 

PIERRE  NOTTING;  maroon. 

REV.  ALAN  CHEALES;  lake. 

VICK'S  CAPRICE;  pink. 

SOLEIL  D'OR;  yellow. 

FRAU  KARL  DRUSCHKI;  whitest  of  all;  a  most 
exquisite  Rose. 

BARONESS  ROTHSCHILD;  pink;  odourless. 

MME.  N.  LEVAVASSEUR;  Baby  Crimson  Rambler ; 
odourless. 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  247 

Climbing  Roses  if  they  are  well  placed  are  a  great 
addition  to  the  grounds;  but  as  they  are  just  as 
susceptible  to  disease  and  to  insects  as  the  other 
Roses,  and  the  positions  in  which  they  are  used 
are  generally  conspicuous  ones,  they  should  be  care- 
fully looked  after  or  they  will  prove  to  be  eye- 
sores rather  than  ornaments.  Their  inaccessibility 
makes  them  hard  to  reach  with  the  spray  and 
duster,  and  often  they  are  allowed  to  take  care 
of  themselves,  with  the  result  that  by  the  middle 
of  June  they  look  as  if  a  sirocco  of  the  desert  had 
breathed  upon  them  and  withered  them  up.  When 
trained  against  the  walls  of  a  building,  or  in  the 
shelter  of  a  porch,  they  seem  to  be  more  unhealthy 
than  anywhere  else;  the  larvae  of  the  insects  and 
their  eggs  are  more  effectively  protected  than  the 
vines.  If  you  have  Roses  on  the  house  cut  them 
back  frequently,  so  that  you  can  reach  them  with- 
out too  much  toil  or  trouble. 

Unless  the  garden  is  a  large  one  it  would  be  better 
not  to  have  a  Rose  arbour  in  it;  keep  this  for  the 
Rose  garden  where  it  will  look  more  appropriate .  If 
your  garden  is  fenced  in,  however,  train  a  few  Roses 
over  the  pickets;  a  Crimson  Rambler  perhaps,  be- 


248  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

cause  it  is  the  fashion,  but  surely  a  Dorothy  Per- 
kins, a  hybrid  Wichuriana  bearing  a  double  pink 
blossom  of  good  size.  It  grows  very  rapidly  and 
its  foliage  is  tough  and  clean  and  of  a  dark  green 
colour.  Let  the  Rambler  climb  on  one  of  the  posts, 
and  prune  it  so  that  it  will  make  a  good  head;  or 
train  it  over  the  arch  at  the  entrance  to  the  garden. 
On  another  post  have  a  Dawson,  a  vigorous, 
climbing  white  Rose  that  is  hard  to  restrain;  lead 
it  along  the  pickets  of  the  fence  and  let  it  drop 
over  on  the  other  side,  out  of  sight  of  the  garden. 
Do  not  cover  up  the  pickets  entirely,  for  they  have 
their  place  in  the  general  plan  and  should  not  be 
hidden.  If  there  are  brick  piers  in  the  four  corners 
of  the  garden  put  a  Crimson  Rambler  on  one  and 
let  it  fall  lightly  over  the  hedge,  or  run  along  the 
top  of  it.  On  another  put  a  Dorothy  Perkins, 
and  on  a  third  you  might  train  Baltimore  Belle  or 
Prairie  Queen,  very  quick-growing  Roses  that  were 
much  used  in  the  old  gardens,  and  that  bear  Rose- 
coloured,  or  white  double  flowers  of  a  rather  old- 
fashioned  mien.  These  were  bred  from  the  Prairie 
Rose  (Rosa  setegira)  and  are  about  the  only  Roses 
of  American  origin  that  we  have,  not  very  brilliant 


Dawson  Rose  on  a  Pear  Tree. 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  251 

examples  to  be  sure,  but  valuable  on  account  of 
their  associations.  They  were  introduced  about 
the  year  1830.  They  art  v^ery  hardy  and  vigorous 
and  should  be  pruned  into  shape,  or  else  they  will 
sprawl  over  everything  within  reach  in  an  awkward 
manner. 

A  good  place  for  a  Crimson  Rambler  is  in  an  old 
Cedar  tree,  where  it  will  show  to  good  advantage 
when  in  bloom  and  may  be  forgotten  afterwards; 
there  is  nothing  particularly  beautiful  in  its  habits. 
This  Rose  has  been  used  so  much  that  it  is  becom- 
ing tiresome.  It  is  certainly  very  handsome  when 
in  flower,  but  the  blossoms  have  no  perfume,  and 
its  clusters  have  an  artificial  look  like  those  made 
of  linen  which  one  sees  in  a  woman's  hat.  Its 
lack  of  fragrance  is  a  great  drawback,  for  if  we 
expect  a  thorn  with  every  Rose  we  certainly  expect 
a  delightful  perfume  also.  It  is  so  gaudy  that  it 
is  tropical  in  its  effect,  and  if  there  are  many 
Ramblers  on  a  small  place  the  grounds  will  look 
bare  when  the  bloom  has  passed,  just  as  the  night 
seems  darker  after  a  flash  of  lightning.  It  is  too 
brilliant  for  the  flower  garden  as  it  outshines  the 
other  flowers  and  casts  a  sickly  glow  over  the  more 


252  COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

modest  blooms.  Grow  it  in  the  Rose  garden  if  you 
will,  or  the  kitchen  garden,  or  somewhere  that  you 
will  have  to  go  around  the  corner  to  see  it.  The 
other  Ramblers,  Pink,  White  and  Yellow,  have 
never  been  so  popular,  probably  because  they  have 
been  dwarfed  in  brilliance  by  their  more  flashy 
sister,  but  they  are  less  obtrusive  and  would  be 
better  to  use  in  the  garden. 

If  you  have  a  Rose  arbour,  either  in  the  garden 
or  Rose  garden,  construct  it  as  lightly  as  possible 
and  make  it  inconspicuous.  The  vines  will  look 
better  if  they  appear  to  support  themselves  and 
to  form  the  arch  involuntarily.  For  the  posts  use 
two-by-threes,  and  turn  the  arches  with  boards 
seven-eighths  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  made  as  light 
otherwise  as  will  be  consistent  with  strength.  The 
pieces  that  are  nailed  on  the  sides  and  across  the 
arches  should  be  of  the  thickness  of  laths,  and  no 
more  of  them  should  be  used  than  will  be  necessary 
to  hold  up  the  vines.  Paint  tht  posts  green  and 
the  upper  work  white;  or  all  white  or  all  green  if 
your  taste  will  be  better  satisfied.  Do  not  use 
Cedar  poles  and  posts,  or  try  to  get  a  rustic  effect, 
for  that  is  most  inconsistent.  One  does  not  find 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  253 

Roses  growing  in  the  midst  of  a  forest.  Heavy 
pergolas  with  stone  or  brick  columns,  or  in  the 
Italian  style,  should  not  be  used  on  small  grounds 
or  near  a  small  garden;  they  detract  from  the  in- 
terest of  the  Roses,  and  are  clumsy  and  altogether 
inappropriate. 

Good  Roses  for  the  arbour  are :  Evergreen  Gem, 
a  cross  between  Wichuriana  and  Mme.  Hoste; 
a  very  fast  grower  with  tough,  sweet-scented 
foliage  that  is  quite  free  from  insects,  with  a  double 
yellow  flower  changing  to  white,  and  perfectly 
hardy;  Jersey  Beauty  (Wichuriana  and  Perle  de 
Jardins),  a  single  yellow  Rose  of  equal  vigour,  with 
thick,  shiny  foliage;  and  Gardenia,  a  plant  ob- 
tained from  the  same  cross,  bearing  a  cream- 
coloured  blossom  whose  petals  incurve  and  resem- 
ble the  Cape  Jessamine.  These  Roses  are  of  com- 
paratively recent  introduction,  but  as  far  as  I  can 
find  out  they  do  not  live  up  to  their  evergreen  rep- 
utation, although  they  are  very  beautiful  and 
doubly  attractive  on  account  of  their  healthy  foli- 
age, which  is  of  the  greatest  importance  in  work 
of  this  sort. 

Two  Wichuriana  Roses  that  may  be  added  to 


254  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

the  above  list  are  Manda's  Triumph  and  Pink 
Roamer. 

Do  not  cover  the  Rose  arbour  entirely  with 
Roses.  At  one  end  plant  a  Trumpet  Vine,  but 
be  sure  that  it  is  Bignonia  grandi flora  not  radi- 
cans.  The  latter  is  the  quick-growing  sort  that 
bears  a  poorly  shaped  trumpet  blossom  of  a  rather 
deep  red  colour,  and  does  not  compare  with  grandi- 
flora  whose  bloom  is  borne  in  great  graceful  clus- 
ters, and  is  not  only  unusual  in  shape  but  of  a 
most  exquisite  colour,  orange-red,  the  ends  of  the 
trumpets  orange.  This  vine  comes  into  bloom  in 
July  shortly  after  the  Roses  are  done  blooming, 
and  the  flowers  on  the  clusters  open  gradually;  the 
bloom  is  continued  profusely  for  three  weeks. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  vines,  and  it  may 
well  be  used  on  a  pier  or  post  in  the  flower  garden, 
or  trained  over  an  arch. 

On  alternate  posts  of  the  arbour  plant  Honey- 
suckle, the  ordinary  Honeysuckle  that  grows  so 
rampantly  and  bears  so  well  its  sweet-scented 
flowers  throughout  the  season.  It  is  absolutely 
hardy  and  may  be  depended  upon  to  flourish  and 
bloom  when  everything  else  fails.  It  will  not  in- 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  257 

terfere  with  the  Roses  if  kept  in  hand,  for  they  may 
be  trained  over  it  and  on  it  and  through  it,  and 
it  will  make  a  good  background  for  them.  Its 
leaves,  which  are  almost  evergreen  and  disappear 
for  not  more  than  three  months  in  the  year,  will 
furnish  the  arbour  luxuriantly  throughout  the  sea- 
son so  that  it  will  present  an  attractive  appearance. 
Roses  will  come  and  blossom  and  depart  but  the 
Honeysuckles  will  go  on  forever,  cheerful,  sweet- 
scented,  an  eminently  satisfactory  possession. 

On  a  small  arbour  do  not  use  more  than  one 
Crimson  Rambler,  the  other  Roses  should  have 
places;  Baltimore  Belle  and  the  Wichurianas. 

The  Clematis  Paniculata  should  be  used  on  a  post 
or  pillar.  It  dies  down  to  the  ground  each  year 
although  sometimes  a  shoot  will  remain  green 
through  the  Winter.  Once  started  it  grows  rap- 
idly and  provides  a  good  green;  the  climax  of  the 
vine  is  in  late  August,  a  time  when  climaxes  are 
rare  in  the  garden,  and  the  afterbloom  is  attractive 
in  its  light,  feathery  sprays  that  are  agitated  by 
the  slightest  air  and  tremble  like  gossamers.  An- 
other Clematis  that  is  good  to  train  on  the  fence  is 
Jackmanni;  with  a  large  purple  blossom.  It  is  a 


258  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

little  hard  to  establish  but  it  is  no  trouble  after- 
wards. Plant  this  by  the  white  fence  of  the  flower 
garden,  or  so  that  it  may  be  trained  up  one  of  the 
posts. 

English  Ivy  is  rather  delicate  for  this  climate  and 
will  do  well  only  against  the  south  side  of  a  wall, 
or  on  the  ground  where  it  may  be  readily  pro- 
tected in  Winter.  It  is  particularly  effective  against 
bricks.  You  may  be  able  to  find  some  variety  of 
Ivy  in  the  neighbourhood  of  your  home,  in  some 
old  yard  or  garden,  some  vine  that  has  the  char- 
acteristics of  the  English  Ivy  yet  has  become  ac- 
climatized and  is  hardy.  Get  cuttings  of  this  and 
use  them  on  your  brick  wall. 

Do  not  use  Boston  Ivy  (Ampelopsis  Veitchi)  in 
the  country;  it  is  a  boulevardier  among  vines,  and 
is  at  home  only  in  the  neighbourhood  of  asphalt 
and  lamp-posts. 

Virginia  Creeper  (Ampelopsis  Virginica)  is  one  of 
the  best  vines  with  which  to  cover  an  old  stone  wall, 
or  to  use  on  stone  work  of  any  kind ;  to  gro\v  over 
rocks  and  to  cover  the  stumps  of  trees.  It  will 
turn  brilliant  red  in  September,  on  time  to  the 
minute  each  year,  whether  Jack  Frost  turns  up  or 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  259 

not.  One  or  two  of  these  vines  might  be  used  on 
the  garden  fence.  It  may  be  transplanted  with 
impunity  from  the  woods  any  time  of  the  year. 

The  best  vine  for  the  house  is  Wistaria;  purple 
and  white.  In  time  it  will  grow  to  be  part  of  the 
house  and  its  gnarled,  tree-like  trunk  is  most  pic- 
turesque with  its  arms  stretched  about  the  walls 
in  a  loving  embrace.  Train  it  in  the  way  that  it 
should  go,  and  keep  it  away  from  windows  and 
doors.  It  is  a  good  vine  for  the  porch.  The  pur- 
ple is  the  better,  for  the  white  is  too  intense,  too 
funereal,  with  its  drooping  clusters  weeping  with 
exactness  from  the  canopy  of  leaves.  This  vine  is 
a  little  too  heavy  for  a  small  garden  unless  there 
should  be  an  old  wall  in  it,  along  which  it  might 
be  trained  with  good  effect. 

The  best  vines  to  use  in  the  flower  garden  on 
piers,  arches,  posts  or  fences,  are: 

ROSES 

DOROTHY  PERKINS  QUEEN  OF  THE  PRAIRIES 

DAWSON  BALTIMORE  BELLE 

EVERGREEN  GEM  GARDENIA 

CRIMSON  RAMBLER 


260  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

OTHER  VINES 

BIGNONIA  GRANDIFLORA    CLEMATIS    PANICULATA 
VIRGINIA  CREEPER  CLEMATIS  JACKMANNI 

COMMON  HONEYSUCKLE 

Local  variety  of  ENGLISH  IVY  on  brick  piers  or 
wall. 

FOR  THE  ROSE  ARBOUR 

BALTIMORE  BELLE  DAWSON 

QUEEN  OF  THE  PRAIRIES  WICHURIANA   HYBRIDS 
CRIMSON  RAMBLER  BIGNONIA  GRANDIFLORA 

HONEYSUCKLE 

FOR  THE  HOUSE 
WISTARIAS  Variety  of  ENGLISH  IVY 

Roses  grown  as  standards  are  of  very  formal  ap- 
pearance and  should  be  used  only  in  large,  formal 
arrangements.  On  small  grounds  they  present  a 
serio-comic  appearance  that  is  generally  pathetic. 
They  may  be  placed  in  the  Rose  garden,  however, 
for  there  they  will  not  be  so  conspicuous  and  their 
stiff  ungracefulness  will  be  neutralized  by  the  other 
Roses.  They  are  very  disappointing  and  hard  to 


BRICK  WALL 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  263 

grow,  and  they  are  quite  expensive,  so  that  all 
things  considered  the  beginner  would  do  well  to 
forego  the  doubtful  pleasure  of  seeing  them  in  his 
garden. 

In  England  Roses  are  used  for  hedges ;  but  in  the 
northern  parts  of  the  United  States  they  are  rarely 
planted  for  this  purpose.  So-called  hedges  have 
been  made  of  Crimson  Rambler,  but  as  its  chief 
beauty  is  in  blooming  time  and  its  appearance  in 
other  seasons  is  not  tempting,  few  people  have  un- 
dertaken the  task  of  raising  it  in  this  form.  On 
some  large  estates  where  there  is  a  skilled  gardener 
it  might  be  tried  for  a  sensational  effect. 

A  very  good  hedge  may  be  made  of  Rosa  Rugosa, 
which  might  be  planted  along  the  path  leading  to 
the  Rose  garden;  in  fact  in  such  a  position  it  would 
be  very  appropriate.  It  should  be  kept  low  and 
pruned  carefully  to  encourage  the  bottom  growth, 
for  the  chief  beauty  in  a  hedge  is  its  wall-like  effect, 
and  unless  this  is  obtained  it  is. more  or  less  of  a 
failure. 

Roses  look  better  with  some  sort  of  background, 
and  the  best  setting  for  them  is  evergreen  trees. 
In  England  Yew  and  Holly  are  used,  and  the  Roses 


264  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

allowed  to  clamber  up  into  the  branches  and  fes- 
toon themselves  against  the  dark  foliage.  In  this 
country,  Arbor  Vitse,  Hemlock  and  Spruce  are  the 
best  trees  for  the  purpose  and  they  afford  a  good 
wind-break.  It  would  be  well  to  use  Pin  Oak  in 
combination  with  them,  and  not  to  plant  too  many 
Norway  Spruces  as  they  are  extremely  heavy  and 
coarse.  Arbor  Vitse  occidentalis  and  pyramidalis 
will  give  the  best  effect. 

On  page  261  there  is  a  plan  of  a  Rose  garden.  It 
is  enclosed  by  a  Privet  hedge,  and  a  ribbon  parterre 
has  been  introduced  into  it  for  the  sake  of  a  little 
variety.  This  is  formed  by  Box  edging,  although 
turf  may  be  used  instead.  Turf  is  a  bother  to  keep 
nicely  trimmed  and  it  will  get  shabby.  The  idea  is 
to  use  the  bed  for  bulbs  in  the  Spring, — Hyacinths, 
or  Narcissi  or  Tulips, — when  a  little  colour  in  the 
Rose  garden  is  not  unwelcome.  When  these  have 
ripened  they  should  be  removed  and  some  flower- 
ing plants  put  in  instead.  Snapdragon  is  very  good 
for  this  purpose  as  it  blooms  well  through  the  Sum- 
mer and  its  foliage  is  graceful  and  a  good  green. 
If  the  idea  of  this  ribbon  bed  is  not  fancied,  a 
square  or  round  one  may  be  used  in  its  place  and 


EVER-BLOOMING  ROSES  AND  VINES  265 

Roses  planted  in  it;  some  small  Rose  like  Clothilde 
Soupert  or  Gruss  an  Teplitz.  The  garden  as 
planned  has  a  terrace  at  each  end;  but  these  may 
be  eliminated  and  the  beds  laid  out  on  the  same 
level  as  the  main  garden.  The  terraces  should  be 
planted  with  ever-blooming  Roses. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

FILLING   IN   WITH    COLOURS 

HE  gardens  of  Eng- 
land,  from  which 
the  Colonial   gar- 
dens  of    America 
drew  their  inspiration  and 
character,     were     evolved 
gradually   and  not  copied 
from  any  particular  pattern  or  dominated 
by  any  well  defined  school.     Those  that 
were  made  in  the  seventeenth  century 
embodied  the  principal  features  of  Eng- 
lish mediaeval  gardens,  although  the  em- 
bellishments of  statues  and  figures  were 
borrowed  from  Italy.     The  traditions  of 
garden   making  were   indigenous  to  the 
island  and  the  florid  Italian  style  was  only 
a  passing  influence.     The     Renaissance 
gardens  of  Italy  were  closely  copied  from 

the  descriptions  of  the  ancient  writers, 
267 


268  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

and  in  them  the  use  of  pleached  trees  and  shrubs 
was  carried  to  extremes,  as  it  was  in  the  time  of 
Pliny  the  Younger,  when  there  was  more  excuse, 
for  cultivated  flowers  were  rare. 

In  England,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  gardens 
became  more  important  than  they  had  ever  been 
before  and  enormous  sums  of  money  were  expended 
on  their  design  and  upkeep.  The  Italian  fad  was 
overdone  in  many  instances,  as  most  fads  are,  and 
when  finally  it  died  many  of  the  inappropriate  in- 
novations were  eradicated  and  only  the  most  sub- 
stantial and  worthy  retained.  These  were  the 
terraces,  the  balustrades,  the  flights  of  steps  and 
the  fantastically  clipped  trees,  which  in  time  be- 
came identified  with  features  that  were  developed 
from  the  mediaeval  closes,  such  as  the  walls,  the 
marking  out  by  definite  boundaries,  the  green 
walks,  the  alleys,  the  covered  paths  and  knottes 
of  flowers,  the  labyrinths,  the  mazes,  fountains, 
etc.,  that  are  familiar  sights  in  the  English  gardens 
of  to-day. 

The  most  striking  thing  about  the  English  gar- 
den is  its  substantialness,  its  obliviousness  to  the 
march  of  Time.  Fads  of  garden-making  have  come 


FILLING    IN  WITH    COLOURS  269 

and  gone,  schools  of  designing  have  arisen,  flour- 
ished and  fallen,  great  masters  of  the  art  have 
become  famous  and  been  forgotten,  yet  gathering 
a  little  of  the  best  from  every  influence  and  as- 
cendency it  has  grown  and  bloomed  serenely,  se- 
cure in  the  fastnesses  of  its  own  most  excellent 
traditions.  One  generation  has  planted  a  walk 
with  Yews;  another  has  built  in  a  stairway  or  a 
wall,  and  still  another,  moved  by  the  magnificence 
and  grandeur  of  Le  Notre  has  diverted  a  river  from 
its  course  and  led  it  through  a  parterre  of  flowers  to 
frolic  in  a  fountain ;  and  all  these  inspirations  have 
been  absorbed  and  blended  into  an  harmonious 
whole  to  which  Time  has  only  added  perfection. 

At  one  period  the  English  garden  was  laid  out 
on  an  enormous  scale,  often  containing  gardens 
within  gardens;  a  park-like  enclosure  for  flowers 
was  considered  necessary  to  uphold  the  dignity  of 
a  great  house  or  castle.  Although  Le  Notre  is  not 
known  ever  to  have  been  in  England,  his  teachings 
were  for  a  time  closely  followed  in  the  island  across 
the  channel;  yet  it  is  a  fact,  as  Bloomfield*  points 


.* Reginald  Bloomfield,  M.  A.,  F.  S.  A.:  "The  Formal  Gar- 
den in  England." 


270  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

out,  that  the  formal  garden  of  England  did  not 
need  great  space  to  be  beautiful  and  effective. 
The  lower  garden  of  Haddon  Hall  is  but  a  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  square;  the  old  walled-in  garden 
at  Brickwall,  in  Sussex,  is  two  hundred  feet  by  a 
hundred  and  sixty  feet;  the  garden  at  Edzall  Castle 
is  but  a  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  long  by  a 
hundred  and  thirty-five  feet  wide,  and  there  is  a 
beautiful  garden  at  Stobhall,  in  Scotland,  that 
covers  only  half  an  acre.  The  beauty  of  these 
gardens  lies  in  the  way  they  are  planted,  in  the 
character  and  colours  of  the  flowers  that  are  used. 
They  are  carefully  planned  and  the  arrangement  is 
carried  out  under  the  supervision  of  the  proprie- 
tors, who  would  as  soon  think  of  leaving  such  an 
important  function  wholly  to  the  gardener  as  they 
would  of  entrusting  the  hanging  of  their  Gains- 
boroughs  and  Lelys  to  the  cook.  The  garden  is 
considered  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  parts 
of  the  house,  and  it  expresses  the  thoughts  and 
sentiments  of  the  master  or  mistress  whose  affec- 
tionate care  and  devotion  are  ungrudgingly  lav- 
ished upon  it. 

The  best  and  most  lasting  effects  that  will  not 


FILLING    IN   WITH   COLOURS  273 

grow  stale  and  become  tiresome  to  the  eye  are 
generally  obtained  with  comparatively  few  flowers. 
In  England  certain  varieties  are  identified  with 
certain  gardens,  and  the  traditions  have  been  kept 
up  for  generations.  Plants  that  do  well  in  the 
natural  soil  and  under  normal  climatic  conditions 
are  invariably  chosen  and  developed  to  perfection. 
The  natural  temptation  that  comes  to  most  gar- 
deners to  plant  every  flower  that  has  an  attraction, 
or  that  is  new  and  pleasing  to  the  eye  is  restrained, 
and  only  those  that  have  paramount  attractions 
and  the  plainest  meanings  are  encouraged  to  grow. 
In  the  garden  at  Brickwall  the  flower  and  colour 
effect  is  got  with  Daisies,  Lavender,  Phlox,  Pop- 
pies, Sweet  William,  white  Mallow  and  Rudbeckia, 
yet  the  beds  are  not  only  interesting  but  brilliant 
enough  to  satisfy  the  most  enthusiastic  colourist. 
An  analysis  of  the  flower  border  of  the  old  walled 
kitchen  garden  at  Blyborough  reveals  Hollyhocks, 
for  which  the  garden  has  long  been  famous,  Phlox, 
Summer  Daisies  and  a  variety  of  Michaelmas 
Daisy;  a  rather  simple  collection  yet  one  that  is 
satisfying  and  beautiful.  The  forms  and  colours 
are  intelligently  and  carefully  combined  and  much 


274  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

thought  is  given  to  their  mixing.  White  Lilies, 
yellow  Monkshood  and  delicate  pink  Phlox  is  the 
keynote  of  another  garden;  and  purple  and  white 
Campanula  of  still  another.  At  Ramscliff,  Lark- 
spurs of  various  heights  and  shades  with  Campan- 
ula and  Pyrethrum  form  one  of  the  principal 
themes,  superseded  later  on  by  Orange  Lilies  and 
Monkshood.  This  latter  combination  seems  to  be 
a  favourite  in  English  gardens  where  Monkshood 
grows  better  than  it  does  here;  its  poisonous 
quality,  howrever,  is  a  drawback  which  many  peo- 
ple will  not  overlook.  At  Kellie  Castle,  Holly- 
hocks and  Poppies  run  riot,  the  rather  poorly 
furnished  stalks  of  Althea  being  hidden  by  the 
delicate  flowers  of  its  companions.  At  Cleeve 
Prior,  Dahlias,  Sunflowers  and  Autumn  Daisies, 
with  Lavender,  Michaelmas  Daisies  and  sweet 
Herbs  form  an  attractive  September  group.  In 
all  these  gardens  hardy  herbaceous  plants  form 
the  basis  of  the  planting. 

The  English  gardens  are  so  well  enclosed  by 
hedges  and  screens  and  arches  of  Yew  and  Holly 
that  the  character  of  each  flower  and  its  colour 
is  vividly  brought  out  against  their  sombre  yet 


FILLING   IN   WITH   COLOURS  277 

sparkling  background.  The  effect  obtained  is  so 
satisfactory  that  if  one  pays  any  attention  to  the 
subject  at  all,  the  fact  stands  out  prominently  that  a 
good  background  should  be  supplied  for  flowers  if 
the  best  results  are  desired;  a  background  of 
hedges,  or  brick  walls,  and  a  setting  of  trees  that 
will  form  a  frame,  or  second  enclosure,  and  will 
serve  the  double  duty  of  warding  off  or  breaking 
the  force  of  inhospitable  winds. 

In  the  famous  garden  of  Levens,  in  Westmore- 
land, which  was  laid  out  about  the  year  1700  by  a 
Frenchman  named  Beaumont,  in  a  Dutch  style,  and 
which  has  since  become  absorbed  by  its  surround- 
ings and  Anglicized,  many  strangely  cut  forms  of 
Yew  and  Box  that  resemble  chessmen,  or  the  wide- 
petticoated  figures  of  a  Noah's  ark  were  used  to- 
gether with  solid  blocks  of  Yews  with  rounded  roofs 
and  mushroom  finials,  and  arched  recesses  forming 
arbours.  Miss  Jekyl  says  that  this  effect  might  be 
supposed  to  be  puerile,  but  that  such  is  far  from 
the  case.  The  square-clipped  trees  offer  facets  to 
the  light  which  plays  upon  them  with  infinite  va- 
riety, and  the  weird,  stiff  forms  accent  and  dif- 
ferentiate the  many  good  hardy  perennials  with 


278  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

which  the  garden  abounds.  The  borders  in  the 
Rose  division  are  planted  with  white  Pinks  that 
make  an  attractive,  feathery  fringe  for  the  deli- 
cately tinted  Roses,  a  most  excellent  use  for  this 
charming  and  persistent  little  plant.  The  garden 
at  Arley  is  alcoved  with  the  gracefully  curved  Yew 
buttresses  of  a  massive  Yew  wall,  that  terminate 
in  steeple-shaped  finials.  In  these  alcoves  are 
planted  Larkspur,  white  and  Orange  Lilies,  Py- 
re thrum,  Poppies  and  Snapdragon. 

A  small  garden  should  be  so  planted  that  every 
part  of  it  will  be  interesting  from  the  beginning  of 
Spring  until  the  first  frosts  of  Autumn,  and  so  con- 
stituted that  when  considered  in  its  entirety  it  will 
present  a  well  balanced  and  colourful  appearance, 
showing  no  gaps  in  the  greenery  nor  queer  freaks 
of  colour  among  the  blooms.  Every  plant  should 
have  sufficient  room  to  develop,  and  should  be  so 
placed  that  as  it  approaches  the  time  of  its  ma- 
turity it  will  smoothly  glide  into  its  allotted  position 
in  the  garden  picture.  The  slowly  developing  foli- 
age of  the  late-blooming  plants  should  be  utilized 
as  a  background  for  the  earlier  varieties,  so  that 
one  set  of  bloom  may  gradually  take  the  place  of 


FILLING    IN    WITH    COLOURS  281 

another,  and  neither  will  be  regretted  among  the 
kaleidoscopic  changes  of  the  months.  As  the  flow- 
ers of  the  early,  low-growing  sorts  fade  and  wither 
something  must  be  ready  to  take  up  the  burden  of 
bloom;  and  the  spent  plant,  if  it  has  a  tendency  to 
shabbiness,  should  be  screened  and  shielded  by  its 
nearest  neighbours.  Thus  will  the  ground  be  hid- 
den from  early  May,  and  the  symmetry  and  bal- 
ance of  the  garden,  both  in  regard  to  colour  and 
shape,  be  preserved  throughout  the  season.  The 
luxuriance  and  wildness  of  growth  should  become 
intensified  day  by  day  until  the  climax  is  realized 
in  a  glorious  abandon  of  Phlox  and  Lily  and 
Dahlia,  as  August  wanes. 

No  colour  schemes  should  be  followed  in  a  garden 
of  this  size,  for  they  are  delusive  and  unsatisfac- 
tory; and  there  should  be  no  violent  contrasts,  no 
exotic  shapes  introduced  with  which  to  obtain  bril- 
liant effects.  A  few  flowers  will  supply  all  the 
colour  and  character  that  are  needed,  and  will  be 
inexpensive  to  establish;  once  started  the  care  and 
labour  required  will  be  small. 

Although  a  flower  garden  should  be  given  over 
in  the  main  to  flowers,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  plant 


282  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

in  it  a  few  small  trees  or  shrubs  with  which  to 
break  the  monotony  of  the  Winter  bareness  of  the 
beds.  Lilacs  should  be  placed  where  you  will  see 
them  every  day,  where  their  influence  may  be  ex- 
erted and  their  companionship  enjoyed.  Two 
white  Lilacs  planted  on  opposite  sides  of  the  garden 
end  will,  in  the  course  of  a  little  time,  grow  into 
picturesque  trees  and  become  features  of  the  en- 
closure. A  Laburnum  might  be  placed  near  a  path 
over  which  it  will  bend  gracefully  and  nod  its  yel- 
low clusters;  it  is  a  tree  that  has  a  great  deal  of 
garden  character  and  colour.  The  Flowering  Al- 
mond, pink  or  white,  was  found  in  the  very  oldest 
New  England  yards;  it  is  a  typical  New  England 
garden  shrub  that  has  associations  with  the  early 
days  of  Massachusetts  Colony  and  Providence 
Plantations.  An  Almond  should  be  placed  in  a 
corner  near  a  path,  where  the  miniature  blossoms 
may  be  seen  and  examined.  It  blooms  early 
when  there  is  very  little  colour  in  the  garden  and 
is  always  a  welcome  sight.  A  good  specimen  of 
Rosa  Rugosa  might  also  be  placed  in  one  of  the 
beds,  well  in  from  the  path,  where  its  fresh  green 
foliage  will  have  a  good  chance  to  show  off  some  of 


FILLING    IN    WITH    COLOURS  285 

the  other  flowers;  use  the  red  variety  and  prune  it 
back  a  little  to  keep  it  in  bloom.  Rugosa  blooms 
in  early  May  when  rose  flowers  are  a  rarity.  One 
of  the  large  bush  Roses  such  as  Mine.  Plantier  or 
York  and  Lancaster  might  be  established  in  a 
slightly  secluded  corner,  and  room  left  to  plant 
other  things  around  it  to  hide  its  bloomless  and 
very  often  shabby  form  later  in  the  season.  Tar- 
tarian Honeysuckle  looks  well  in  the  garden,  and 
it  is  almost  evergreen.  It  is  one  of  the  character- 
istic shrubs  of  Westchester  County  (N.  Y.)  yards. 
In  all  not  more  than  four  or  five  specimens  of 
trees  and  shrubs  should  be  set  out,  and  these 
merely  for  company's  sake;  their  presence  is  not 
necessary  to  the  success  of  the  Summer  garden. 

In  the  central  bed,  whether  it  be  round  or  square, 
put  an  old  Box  if  it  is  possible  to  obtain  one;  if  not, 
a  nursery  grown  tree  will  have  to  do;  but  under 
no  circumstances  use  a  standard  or  one  of  pyra- 
midal form.  Buxus  sempervirens  is  the  best  variety 
for  this  position,  but  B.  arborescens  grows  more 
rapidly  and  to  a  greater  height,  although  it  does 
not  show  as  much  real  Box  character  or  colour, 
nor  is  it  strongly  odoriferous.  If  a  sundial  is  used 


286  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

in  this  position  instead  of  a  Box,  the  bed  should  be 
turfed  over,  rounded  up  a  little  and  made  into  a 
sort  of  mound.  Do  not  place  a  sundial  in  a  flower 
bed,  for  the  flowers  will  be  trampled  down  and 
destroyed  by  people  trying  to  reach  it,  and  it  will 
also  have  the  appearance  of  a  useless  garden  orna- 
ment, which  should  not  find  a  place  in  a  garden  of 
this  sort. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN 


UST  inside  the  edg- 
ing of  the  principal 
beds  of   the   flower 
garden,    shown     in 
plan    on     pages    364 


the 


and   365,    Narcissi   of   the 
following   varieties    should 
be  established: 

EMPEROR 
BICOLOUR  EMPRESS 

GOLDEN  SPUR 
SIR  WATKIN  VON  SIGN 

Intersperse  among  the  Narcissi  a  few 
Jonquils;  they  come  into  bloom  a  little 
earlier.  Plant  the  large  bulbs  four 
inches  apart,  the  small  ones  one;  they 
will  grow  into  each  other  in  a  year  or  so 

and  form  a  permanent,  supplementary 

287 


288  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

border.  When  the  bulbs  have  ripened  the  leaves 
will  begin  to  fade,  and  should  then  be  cut  off;  but  if 
removed  earlier  the  bulbs  will  suffer.  In  the  round 
bed  use  Narcissus  poeticus  and  poeticus  ornatus  in 
the  same  way.  The  two  are  identical  in  shape  and 
colour,  but  one  variety  comes  into  bloom  much 
earlier  than  the  other.  In  the  Fall,  when  the  gar- 
den has  been  cleaned  up  and  all  the  transplanting 
done,  plant  in  the  main  beds  a  few  clumps  of  Ges- 
neriana,  Blushing  Bride  and  Bouton  D'Or  Tulips, 
which  may  be  left  like  the  Narcissi.  These  Tulips 
flower  towards  the  end  of  May  and  are  extremely 
beautiful,  the  immense  cups  being  borne  on  very 
long  stems.  Gesneriana  is  rich  red  in  colour,  with 
a  dark  blue  or  purple  base,  and  is  the  progenitor  of 
all  the  May  Flowering,  or  Cottage  Garden  Tulips. 
Blushing  Bride  is  pink,  shaded  with  white,  and 
Bouton  D'Or  yellow.  These  Tulips  and  the  Bi- 
zarres  and  Bybloems  are  really  the  only  ones  worth 
bothering  about  in  the  garden,  and  a  few  of  them 
will  give  more  pleasure  than  thousands  of  the 
double  or  early  flowering  sorts,  which  have  to  be 
renewed  every  year. 
The  round  bed  and  path  compose,  the  Court  of 


THH  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN      291 

Honour  of  the  garden,  and  there  should  be  placed 
some  of  the  old-fashioned  flowers  or  those  that  sen- 
timent and  superstition  have  made  endearing.  At 
the  four  corners  of  the  path  that  enter  the  Court 
Peonies  should  be  planted.  They  are  older  than 
gardens  and  were  the  mainstay  of  many  a  blooming 
New  England  yard.  And  Roses;  plant  there  the 
Cabbage  and  the  Damask  Roses,  or  the  Musk  Rose 
that  exhales  its  perfume  on  the  evening  air.  Cin- 
namon and  June  Roses  are  good  garlands  for  the 
Court  of  Honour.  Peonies  and  Roses  should  not  be 
far  separated  in  the  new  garden,  for  in  the  old  they 
went  hand  in  hand,  blooming  fragrantly  in  June. 
The  old  double  Peonies  are  the  best,  the  rose-red, 
the  pink  or  white.  Not  that  the  new  Japanese  single 
and  semi-double  varieties  are  not  beautiful;  they 
are,  but  somehow  they  do  not  look  like  the  Peonies 
one  has  been  used  to  for  so  long.  Peonies  should 
l)e  moved  in  the  Fall  and  you  must  not  expect 
much  from  the  following  Spring's  bloom,  if  it  comes 
at  all.  They  can  be  established  and  will  bloom  in 
the  shade.  The  foliage  is  very  clean  and  free  from 
insects  and  blight,  and  aside  from  all  sentiment  the 
Peony  is  a  refreshing  ornament  to  the  garden. 


292  COMMOX  SENSE  GARDENS 

In  the  Court  of  Honour  Bleeding  Heart  (Dicentra 
dielytra)  should  be  given  a  prominent  position,  for 
although  it  is  not  so  very  old  the  gardens  of  our 
daddies  knew  it.  It  is  the  Chinese  for  Dutchman's 
Breeches,  the  little  plant  that  carpets  the  woods  in 
May  with  which  we  are  all  familiar;  it  was  intro- 
duced into  English  gardens  in  1846  and  spread 
rapidly.  Here  Violets  may  be  planted  (Viola  odor- 
ata),  or  cheerful  clumps  of  Pansies;  and  Lady  Slip- 
per, Marigold,  Lemon  Verbena  and  Rose  Gera- 
nium. It  is  a  good  place,  too,  for  Snowdrops, 
Scilla,  Dog  Tooth  Violet  and  Forget-me-not,  which 
may  be  placed  on  the  garden  side  of  the  circular 
path  and  will  not  interfere  with  the  general  plant- 
ing. 

Around  the  Box  in  the  circular  lied  establish 
Larkspur,  which  will  be  well  shown  against  the 
dark  green  foliage.  The  rest  of  the  bed  may  be 
given  over  to  Pansies  and  White  Lily  (Lilium 
candidum) .  The  matted  foliage  and  bright  flowers 
of  the  Heartsease  will  make  a  good  carpet  for  the 
long-stemmed  Lilies;  and  if  the  bloom  is  kept  well 
picked  it  will  last  into  late  Summer.  A  few  clumps 
of  white  and  pink  Phlox  should  also  be  placed  in 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   295 

this  bed  to  keep  it  in  colour  until  frost.  Pinch 
back  the  Phlox  so  that  it  will  be  late  coming  into 
flower.  In  this  bed  a  few  annuals  may  be  intro- 
duced later  in  the  season  to  take  the  place  of  the 
waning  blooms :  Zinnias  or  Marigolds  or  Stocks. 

Below  are  given  the  most  important  hardy  her- 
baceous plants  and  bulbs,  and  their  best  colours  for 
use  in  the  garden,  with  descriptions  of  each  and 
suggestions  for  cultivating  and  planting. 

For  the  benefit  of  greedy  and  insatiable  garden- 
ers another  list  of  perennials,  and  some  good  an- 
nuals, may  be  found  in  the  following  chapter. 

PEONIES;  pink,  white,  rose-red. 

GERMAN  IRIS;  purple  and  deep  yellow  or  golden. 

JAPANESE  IRIS;  all  the  colours  are  desirable. 

DIGITALIS  (Foxglove);  purple,  white. 

DIANTHUS  BARBATUS  (Sweet  William);  single, 
double  and  auricula  flowered;  all  colours. 

DELPHINIUM  (Larkspur);  formosum,  elatum, 
English  hybrids. 

HOLLYHOCK;  single  and  semi-double;  all  colours. 

PHLOX;  all  colours  but  purple-red. 

DAHLIAS;  show  and  cactus. 


296  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

LILIES;  L.  candidum,  L.  Philadelphicum;  L. 
umbellatum;  L.  Canademe;  L.  liyrinum  L.  au- 
ratum. 

CAMPANULA  (Canterbury  Bell)]  rotundifolia; 
pyrarnidalix. 

HEMEROCALLIS  (Day  Lily)]  /lava;  fulra. 

FUNKIA;  Grandijlora;  G.  alba. 

GERMAN  IRIS  blooms  in  May,  a  full  month  earlier 
than  the  Japanese,  and  although  the  range  of  colour 
is  not  very  varied,  the  plant  is  valuable  on  account 
of  its  hardiness,  the  peculiar  light  grey-green  of  its 
large,  strong  leaves,  and  the  character  of  the  blos- 
som which  is  very  much  like  the  Flower  de  Luce 
of  the  gardens  past  and  gone.  Get  good  clumps 
of  this  Flag  in  the  nursery,  and  in  a  year  or  so  you 
will  be  able  to  divide  them  with  a  sharp  spade  and 
replant  them.  The  bulbs  are  most  hardy,  immor- 
tal would  be  a  good  name  for  them,  and  will  grow 
almost  on  top  of  the  ground;  in  fact  it  is  the  habit 
of  a  clump  to  force  itself  up  and  cleave  asunder, 
so  that  it  has  the  appearance  of  being  split  open  and 
hollow  in  the  middle;  for  this  reason  it  should 
be  frequently  divided  and  reset.  The  growth 


German  Iris  in  the  Garden. 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN      299 

starts  very  early  in  the  Spring,  and  in  the  warm 
spells  of  Midwinter  the  shoots  will  begin  growing. 
The  roots  may  be  moved  at  any  time  of  the  year 
without  the  slightest  risk.  Plant  German  Iris  in 
clumps  along  the  edges  of  the  beds,  alternating  it 
with  Japanese  Iris;  or  a  border  might  be  made 
along  both  sides  of  a  path  for  ten  or  twelve  feet 
or  so,  say  one  of  the  paths  leading  from  the  Circus. 
The  best  colours  are  Florentina,  white  and  early; 
Chereau,  white;  Pallida  Speciosa,  lavender;  Au- 
ralia,  purple;  Vesta,  deep  yellow  with  maroon  falls. 
The  flower  is  quite  stocky  and  less  ethereal  than 
most  Flags.  This  plant  will  flourish  in  any  soil 
and  is  one  of  the  very  few  that  will  bloom  in  the  op- 
pressive grime  and  soot  of  the  London  atmosphere. 
Whatever  beauty  the  German  Iris  possesses  fades 
into  pale  insignificance  beside  the  stately  IRIS  OF 
JAPAN  (7ns  Kaempferi) .  The  self-coloured  flowers 
of  this  Flag  are  like  Orchids,  more  beautiful  than 
Orchids  for  they  lack  the  painted,  artificial  appear- 
ance of  the  most  familiar  air  plants.  They  are 
borne  on  long  stems  reaching,  under  good  condi- 
tions, the  height  of  five  feet  or  more,  and  blossom 
the  last  week  in  June  or  the  first  week  in  July. 


300  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

All  the  varieties,  except  the  mottled  and  double 
ones,  are  good  and  the  colours  range  through  many 
shades  of  blue  to  plum  colour,  purple  and  white. 
These  Flags  flourish  in  almost  any  soil,  but  should 
be  well  drained,  except  in  the  growing  season  when 
a  large  amount  of  moisture  will  increase  the  size 
and  brilliance  of  the  flowers;  in  fact  much  wetting 
is  necessary  for  a  month  before  they  come  into 
bloom.  The  best  clump  that  I  ever  saw  was  lo- 
cated in  the  kitchen  garden,  a  little  downhill  from 
the  tap  which  was  frequently  opened  in  a  dry  June, 
and  the  overflow  or  waste  was  continually  wetting 
and  cooling  the  roots,  yet  did  not  settle  around 
them  as  the  incline  of  the  ground  carried  it  off. 
The  flower  stalks  were  over  five  and  a  half  feet 
high,  and  the  flowers  nearly  nine  inches  across. 
An  ideal  place  for  this  Iris  is  on  the  banks  of  a 
pond,  or  the  edge  of  damp,  swampy  land  where  it 
may  cool  its  toes  in  the  water  yet  not  be  inces- 
santly soaked.  It  needs  sun  and  warmth  and  will 
not  do  well  in  the  shade.  Plant  clumps  of  /ris 
Kaempferi  at  intervals  of  seven  feet  along  the  paths 
in  the  garden,  and  even  in  the  narrow  bed  by  the 
hedge  where  you  will  have  to  irrigate  them  fre- 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   301 

quently,  but  where  they  will  be  worth  the  trouble. 
When  this  Iris  is  in  bloom  the  garden  presents  the 
most  fairy-like  picture.  The  beautiful  delicate 
flowers  are  borne  so  high  and  turn  so  lightly  from 


White  Japan  Iris 

the  slender  stems  that  they  seem  to  rise  from  the 
sheaves  of  drooping  leaves  like  coloured  bubbles; 
the  effect  in  the  moonlight  is  mystical.  When  the 
scene  is  set  for  Kaempferi's  appearance  the  Phlox 
clumps  are  about  two  feet  high  and  the  ground  is 
quite  hidden  by  them  and  the  Funkias  and  Hemer- 


302  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

ocallis;  Foxglove  and  Sweet  William  are  just  past 
their  climaxes;  the  Nasturtium  is  resting  from  the 
first  efforts  of  blooming,  and  its  light-green  stems 
are  beginning  to  trail  over  the  dark-green  hedge;' 
there  is  a  slight  slackening  of  all  bloom  when  the 
beautiful  Flags  have  the  centre  of  the  stage.  The 
other  plants  are  a  little  awed;  there  is  not  much 
to  distract  one's  attention  from  the  entrance  of  the 
leading  ladies.  Softly  they  unfold  into  flower,  one 
by  one;  first  the  white,  then  the  purple,  then  the 
blue,  until  the  mise  en  scene  is  complete.  They 
disappear  just  as  gradually,  just  as  softly,  and  the 
lance-like  leaves  quiver  in  the  faint  Summer  zephyrs 
as  their  beautiful  offspring  fade  and  wither  and  fall. 
The  curtain  is  only  down  a  moment,  to  be  raised 
on  the  fast  quickening  glories  of  Rudbeckia  and 
Phlox.  If  I  were  going  on  a  journey  in  the  Sum- 
mer time,  to  the  fairest,  freshest,  coolest  land  under 
the  sun,  I  would  postpone  my  setting  out  until 
after  Iris  Kaempferi  had  bloomed.  Never  plant 
these  beautiful  flowers  in  masses;  they  are  not  only 
too  magnificent  in  colour  and  form  for  such  a  pur- 
pose, but  in  a  small  garden  the  bed  would  be  un- 
interesting for  most  of  the  Summer.  They  should 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN    303 

be  near  the  path  where  one  may  enjoy  their  inti- 
macy. Japanese  Iris  does  not  bloom  freely  the  first 
year  after  transplanting,  and  should  be  moved  in 
October. 

FOXGLOVE  and  SWEET  WILLIAM  are  frequently 
used  together.  Foxglove  is  not  really  a  perennial 
but  it  generally  sows  itself  and  so  is  considered  as 
one.  You  should  not  depend  upon  this,  but  sow 
seed  in  June  in  the  kitchen  garden,  and  transplant 
some  of  the  seedlings  in  the  Fall  to  the  flower  garden 
and  some  to  a  cold  frame,  where  you  can  winter 
them  and  bring  them  along  early  in  the  Spring. 
When  you  set  them  out  in  the  garden  the  plants 
will  be  large  and  vigorous  and  will  bloom  early. 
You  might  have  a  border  of  Sweet  William  in  the 
kitchen  garden  where  it  will  perpetuate  itself  with- 
out any  worry  on  your  part,  and  draft  plants  from 
it  to  the  flower  garden  each  Spring.  If  you  do  not 
wish  to  do  this  sow  seed  in  drills  in  July,  and  trans- 
plant to  beds  in  the  kitchen  garden  the  end  of 
September,  where  they  may  be  covered  up  for  the 
Winter.  Foxglove  does  well  in  the  shade,  but  it 
may  be  planted  in  the  sun  with  equal  success.  Do 
not  use  any  of  the  fancy  colours,  the  old  purple 


304  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

and  the  white  are  the  best.  The  colour  range  of 
Sweet  William  is  wide;  the  dark  reds  are  particu- 
larly fine  and  there  are  whites,  pinks  and  a  general 
variety. 

LARKSPUR  is  a  favourite  in  English  gardens;  it 
is  used  in  combination  with  many  plants,  such  as 
Lilies,  White  Daisies  and  Yellow  Pyre  thrum,  Monks- 
hood,  Snapdragon  and  Phlox.  It  is  also  grown  in 
clumps  among  the  pleached  trees,  or  against  a  Yew 
hedge  where  perhaps  it  is  more  effective  than  any- 
where else.  In  the  common  sense  garden  it  might 
be  grown  in  front  of  a  brick  retaining  wall,  using 
elatum,  formosum  and  some  of  the  brilliant  English 
hybrids;  with  Campanula  rotundifolia  and  pyram- 
idalis  in  front  and  Lilium  candidum,  L.  superbum, 
L.  umbellatum,  L.  tigrinum  scattered  through  the 
bed;  or  in  bunches  against  Rosa  Rugosa  or  Box, 
as  in  the  round  bed.  It  is  raised  from  seed  in  July 
and  it  is  safer  to  winter  it  over  in  the  cold  frame, 
although  it  will  grow  in  the  open  ground  if  the 
young  plants  are  well  top-dressed.  The  improved 
English  Delphiniums  grown  from  seeds  of  Kelway's 
named  sorts  are  exquisite,  and  should  be  in  every 
collection. 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   305 

The  single  and  semi-double  HOLLYHOCKS  are 
easily  grown  from  seed,  and  blossom  the  second 
season.  They  should  be  planted  in  clumps  of 
from  five  to  seven,  and  used  through  the  main  beds 
of  the  garden,  among  the  Phlox,  etc.,  for  the  tall 
flower  spikes  will  rise  above  the  other  plants  and  the 
lower  parts  of  the  stalks,  which  are  apt  to  become 
bare  about  blooming  time,  will  be  hidden.  Save 
the  seeds  of  the  best  colours,  for  they  will  be  more 
reliable  than  any  that  you  buy.  I  never  could  see 
any  attraction  in  the  Allegheny  Hollyhock  with  its 
tight,  ungraceful  rosettes;  it  does  not  compare, 
either  in  form  or  colour,  to  the  single.  Hollyhocks 
look  well  in  clumps  of  two  or  three  in  a  row  in 
front  of  a  brick  or  stone  wall;  or  large  clumps  at 
the  bottom  of  a  flight  of  steps.  If  your  plants  are 
bothered  by  red  spiders  spray  the  under  side  of  the 
leaves  with  soapy  water,  and  continue  the  spraying 
during  hot  weather.  If  the  blight  affects  any  of 
your  plants  they  should  be  destroyed;  but  to  pre- 
vent it  spray  the  plants  as  soon  as  they  begin  to 
grow  in  the  Spring  with  water  in  which  soap  and 
flowers  of  sulphur  have  been  dissolved.  Trans- 
plant Hollyhocks  to  the  garden  very  early  in  the 


306  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

season  on  a  rainy  day;  and  if  the  sun  should  come 
out  strong  it  would  be  better  to  protect  them. 

PHLOX  is  one  of  the  most  useful  as  well  as  the 
most  beautiful  of  hardy  plants.  It  has  many  qual-^ 
ities  to  recommend  it  besides  its  hardiness;  it  is 
easy  to  grow  from  seed;  it  multiplies  rapidly;  its 
growth  is  rampant  and  it  is  free  from  most  insects 
and  blights.  All  these  qualities  are  crowned  by  its 
free  blooming  proclivities  and  the  length  of  its 
flowering  season.  In  the  old  gardens  of  the  last 
century  two  colours  were  to  be  found,  white  and 
the  homely  purple-red  which  so  detracts  from  the 
beauty  of  other  blossoms;  but  of  late  years  new 
colours  of  the  softest  yet  most  dazzling  brilliancy 
have  been  introduced  by  growers  who  have  made 
this  plant  their  specialty.  It  is  found  in  many 
shades  of  pink  and  light  lavender;  white,  and  white 
with  a  red  eye  or  a  pink  eye ;  red,  scarlet,  crimson, 
carmine.  Large  clumps  of  Phlox  give  brilliancy 
and  colour  to  the  garden  from  early  July  until  Oc- 
tober, an  effect  and  brilliancy  that  can  be  obtained 
with  no  other  plant.  Some  of  the  new  shades  have 
an  exasperating  way  of  "  thro  wing  back"  to  the 
original  purple-red,  and  these  flowers  should  be 


Phlox  and  Funkia. 


THE  BEST  1'EREXXIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN      309 

plucked  and  the  plant  labelled  to  take  out  in  the 
Fall,  for  purple-red  puts  the  whole  garden  out  of 
tune.  Although  the  blooming  time  of  Phlox  is  long 
it  may  be  lengthened  by  pinching  back  a  few  flower 
heads  in  each  clump,  and  gathering  some  of  the 
stalks  when  they  have  come  into  bloom.  Blotches 
of  different  shades  may  be  scattered  through  the 
garden.  The  colours  of  Phlox  may  be  laid  on  with 
a  lavish  hand,  for  by  the  time  the  blooms  appear 
there  is  not  much  else  to  clash  with  them.  Plant 
many  clumps  of  the  white  variety,  Pearl,  which  is 
late  and  does  not  flower  until  the  vigour  of  the 
pinks  and  reds  has  been  spent;  then  it  settles  over 
the  garden  like  a  mantle  of  snow,  suggesting  cool- 
ness when  the  heat  of  August  is  at  its  height.  Be- 
sides being  scattered  through  the  garden  beds, 
clumps  of  Phlox  should  be  placed  along  the  paths 
between  the  Iris  and  Roses,  to  carry  the  colour 
through  the  enclosure. 

Phlox  is  increased  readily  by  dividing  the  roots, 
and  this  is  better  than  raising  it  from  seed  as  the 
colour  of  seedlings  is  uncertain.  Large  clumps 
should  be  broken  up  or  their  brilliancy  will  fade 
and  very  often  revert  to  the  original  colour.  Every 


310  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

Fall  the  Phlox  in  the  garden  should  be  thoroughly 
overhauled  and  the  purple  clumps  removed  and 
new  stock  of  good  shades  added.  The  variety,  Miss 
Lingard,  should  not  be  used  with  the  other  Phloxes 
as  it  is  much  earlier  and  its  character  quite  differ- 
ent. The  following  list  includes  the  colours  with 
which  the  best  results  can  be  had: 

ATHIS;  salmon;  very  tall. 

BACCHANTE;  crimson,  carmine  eye;  dwarf. 

BERANGER;  rosy  white. 

COQUELICOT;  orange-scarlet. 

COMET;  rich  crimson. 

EUGENE  DANZANVILLIERS;  light  lilac,  white  eye. 

HENRY  MURGER;  pure  white,  rose  centre;  dwarf. 

H.  0.  NIGER;  pure  white,  crimson  eye. 

LA  VAGUE;  pink,  red  eye. 

INSPECTOR  EIPEL;  pink,  red  eye. 

Miss  COOK;  white,  pink  eye;  early. 

MOLIERE;  salmon-rose. 

MRS.  DUNBAR;  white,  rose  eye. 

DEFIANCE;  bright  red. 

MARGARET  SLACK;  bright  pink. 

PANTHEON;  salmon. 

SUNSHINE;  salmon  pink,  rose  eye. 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   311 

CARON  D'AcHE;  cherry-red. 

ROSALIE;  white,  blush  centre. 

SPRINGDALE;  deep  pink. 

PEARL;  pure  white;  very  late. 

BOULE  DE  FEU;  bright  red,  dark-red  centre. 

JEANNE  D  'ARC;  white;  late. 

BRIDESMAID;  white,  crimson  centre. 

MATADOR;  orange-scarlet. 

When  buying  DAHLIAS  be  sure  to  get  good, 
sound,  field-grown  roots,  and  not  seedlings.  Mice 
seem  to  have  a  particular  liking  for  these  plants 
and  it  is  hard  to  bring  up  seedlings  in  the  garden. 
You  will  have  to  use  your  judgment  in  planting 
Dahlias;  put  them  where  there  is  good  space  and 
distribute  them  in  different  parts  of  the  beds  to 
take  the  place  of  Hollyhocks  and  Delphiniums. 
Some  of  the  Show  Dahlias  are  very  free  blooming, 
much  freer  than  the  Cactus,  and  are  useful  for 
cutting.  Plant  a  few  of  each  sort  in  early  June,  but 
keep  most  of  them  back  until  about  the  first  of 
July.  The  bloom  will  not  be  needed,  and  Dahlias 
do  better  and  bear  more  flowers  if  started  late  in 
the  season.  Disbud  them  freely,  for  the  strength 
of  the  stalk  should  go  into  only  two  or  three  flowers 


312  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

on  each  stem;  and  cut  away  some  of  the  lower 
branches  so  the  growth  of  the  upper  ones  will  not 
be  stunted.  Dahlias  need  a  great  deal  of  water, 
and  if  the  season  is  dry  the  hose  should  be  freely 
requisitioned.  Saturate  the  ground  thoroughly, 
for  the  bulbs  drink  greedily;  and  spray  the  foliage. 
LILY  bulbs  should  be  planted  at  the  end  of  Oc- 
tober or  the  first  of  November,  except  candidum, 
which  should  be  put  in  the  ground  about  the  fif- 
teenth of  September  as  it  makes  a  growth  in  the 
Fall.  This  Lily  is  somewhat  fickle;  it  will  do  well 
in  one  garden  under  certain  conditions,  and  very 
poorly  in  another  where  the  soil,  location  and 
treatment  are  exactly  the  same.  L.  superbum, 
L.  Canadense,  L.  candidum  need  not  be  planted  at 
a  greater  depth  than  equals  three  times  the  height 
of  the  bulb,  as  they  root  only  from  their  bases;  but 
L.  Philadelphicum,  L.  umbellatum,  L.  tigrinum,  L. 
upeciosum,  L.  auratum,  L.  longiflorum  should  be 
planted  at  least  six  inches  deep,  as  they  root  also 
from  the  stems.  Lilies  begin  to  sprout  very  early 
in  the  Spring  and  may  be  injured  by  the  late  frosts 
if  some  protection  is  not  given;  they  should  be 
placed  where  the  foliage  of  other  plants  will  shelter 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   315 

them.  Lilies  seem  to  do  better  in  the  shade,  al- 
though many  authorities  differ  on  this  subject.  In 
England  they  are  planted  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
trees  and  large  shrubs,  and  it  would  be  better  to 
establish  them  in  some  part  of  the  garden  that  is 
out  of  the  sun  for  the  better  part  of  the  day,  under 
a  high-branching  tree  or  in  the  shadow  of  a  shrub 
or  some  thick-growing  plants.  Cover  the  bulbs 
with  a  good  top-dressing  and  remove  it  carefully  in 
the  Spring  so  the  tender  shoots  will  not  be  broken. 
The  bulbs  should  not  come  into  contact  with  ma- 
nure, and  should  be  fertilized  from  the  surface  with 
a  rich  mulch  that  must  be  kept  soaked  in  dry 
weather.  It  is  safer  to  set  them  in  a  handful  of 
sand  so  that  drainage  will  be  provided,  for  Lily 
bulbs  are  very  delicate  and  susceptible  to  rot,  es- 
pecially those  that  are  constructed  of  scales.  To 
keep  down  the  mice,  scatter  "rat  biskit"  liberally 
on  the  surface  of  the  bed  among  the  young  plants, 
for  mice  are  very  fond  of  the  succulent  green  shoots. 
To  afford  shelter  for  Lilies  and  to  provide  a  good 
base  of  foliage  for  the  long  stems,  Funkias  may  be 
planted  in  the  bed  near  them.  Funkia  grandiflora 
alba,  which  bears  a  sweet-scented  white  blossom, 


316  COMMON    SENSE   GARDENS 

flowers  in  August  and  carries  its  broad,  rich  foliage 
unblighted  until  the  end  of  Summer.  Funkia 
grandiflora  has  the  same  foliage,  with  a  blue  flower 
that  blossoms  at  the  same  time  as  alba,  but  is 
carried  on  a  much  longer  stem.  There  is  another 
Funkia,  caerulea,  that  comes  into  flower  the  first 
of  July,  but  it  is  not  desirable  to  use  with  Lilies  as 
the  leaves  turn  rusty,  and  mildew  as  soon  as  the 
bloom  is  past. 

Lilium  candidum,  is  most  effective  grown  in 
clumps,  with  Funkias  or  Japanese  Iris  around  the 
outside  of  the  clump.  Group  it  in  the  main  beds 
near  a  path;  or  if  you  have  a  good  location  with 
a  tall  hedge  for  a  background  it  will  be  well  shown 
off  against  it.  The  bulbs  should  be  divided  and 
reset  every  three  years,  and  the  best  time  to  do 
this  is  just  after  the  flowers  have  faded  and  not 
when  the  leaves  and  stalks  begin  to  turn  yellow 
later  on.  Lilium  Philadelphicum  is  a  lower  grow- 
ing Lily  of  a  reddish  colour  that  should  be  planted 
in  the  shade  of  some  other  plants,  overhanging  the 
edging.  It  blooms  early  and  does  not  last  very 
long,  but  it  is  hardy  and  easy  to  grow. 

Lilium  auratum,  the  large,  showy  Lily  of  Japan 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   317 

seems  to  be  very  hard  to  bring  into  bloom  success- 
fully, but  it  makes  such  a  grand  exhibition  that  a 
few  of  the  large-sized  bulbs  should  be  planted  every 
year.  Grow  this  Lily  in  clumps  of  three  or  four  set 
rather  formally  around  the  circular  path  in  the 
Court  of  Honour.  The  bulbs  are  very  delicate  and 
deteriorate  quickly,  so  that  only  a  very  small  propor- 
tion succeed.  The  best  plan  is  to  plant  Aura  turns 
in  pots  in  the  Fall,  and  winter  them  in  the  cold 
frame,  setting  them  out  in  the  garden  the  end  of 
May  or  the  first  of  June.  A  dozen  of  these  plants 
will  give  you  flowers  for  eight  or  ten  weeks,  and 
they  are  as  interesting  in  their  way  as  the  Japan- 
ese Iris.  It  is  impossible  to  establish  this  Lily  in 
the  garden,  for  a  clump  will  grow  beautifully  less 
for  a  year  or  so  and  then  disappear.  Good  bulbs 
are  expensive,  but  there  is  nothing  to  equal  them 
in  the  Lily  world. 

Lilium  umbellatum  is  very  effective  grown  in 
front  of  tall  Larkspurs  or  among  Campanula 
pyramidalis  or  rotundi folia.  It  is  used  extensively 
in  English  gardens  and  is  combined  with  Monks- 
hood,  although  one  is  pretty  sure  to  find  Delphin- 
iums in  its  neighbourhood.  Plant  clumps  of  Urn- 


318  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

bellatum  well  in  from  the  paths  but  do  not  have 
too  much  of  it. 

Lilium  longiflorum  is  the  white  Japanese  Lily  that 
is  better  known  under  the  name  of  Easter  or  Ber- 
muda. It  is  perfectly  hardy,  but  if  you  use  can- 
didum  you  might  omit  longiflorum,  as  you  should 
not  have  too  many  white  Lilies  in  the  garden. 
Lilium  speciosum  var.  Melpomene  is  a  beautiful 
pink  Lily  that  is  easily  grown.  It  blooms  later  than 
longiflorum  and  is  good  to  succeed  it,  if  you  are 
particularly  fond  of  Lilies.  Plant  two  clumps  in 
corners  by  the  hedge,  as  it  will  look  better  with  such 
a  background  and  needs  the  shelter.  Lilium  Can- 
adense  is  the  yellowish  Canadian  Lily  that  belongs 
to  the  Martagon  or  Turncap  family.  The  petals 
are  the  least  turned  back  of  any  in  the  group,  and 
the  flowers  are  borne  in  clusters  on  the  ends  of 
gracefully  drooping  stems.  It  is  perfectly  hardy 
and  may  easily  be  established,  but  it  is  not  as 
showy  as  the  Lilies  that  have  been  described  above. 

Lilium  tigrinum  is  the  familiar  Tiger  Lily  in- 
troduced from  China  over  a  hundred  years  ago. 
It  blooms  later  than  any  of  the  Lilies,  except  some 
of  the  late  Aura  turns,  and  is  the  chief  attraction  of 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   321 

the  cottage  yards  in  New  York  and  New  England 
in  August  and  September,  with  its  turned  caps  of 
orange-red,  and  black  spots  and  stems.  It  is  per- 
fectly hardy  and  can  be  established  without  any 
trouble  whatever.  It  is  good  to  have  in  the  garden 
on  account  of  the  lateness  of  its  bloom,  and  should 
be  planted  amid  Hemerocallis  fulra  and  flava  to 
hide  the  bareness  of  these  plants  when  their  flowers 
have  past  and  their  foliage  is  inclined  to  shabbiness. 

Funkia  grandiflora,  and  G.  alba,  are  splendid 
in  clumps  at  intervals  of  ten  feet  or  so,  or  as  a 
border  along  a  hedgeless  path  leading  to  the  garden 
or  the  kitchen  garden.  The  foliage  is  a  refreshing 
green  all  Summer  and  they  bloom  at  a  time  when 
flowers  are  particularly  desirable  and  interesting. 

Campanula  should  be  sown  in  early  Spring  in  the 
cold  frame  and  transplanted  to  another  frame  to 
winter.  The  variety  rotundifolia  may  be  used 
along  the  edges  of  the  paths  between  the  Roses  and 
Iris  or  planted  in  front  of  C.  pyramidalis  which 
grows  to  a  greater  height  and  is  very  showy.  Py- 
ramidalis is  good  combined  with  Lilies,  and  a  few 
clumps  may  be  planted  in  the  large  beds  among 
the  Phloxes. 


322  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

Hemerocallis  flava  is  the  lemon  Day  Lily  which 
blooms  profusely  in  June  and  should  be  planted 
in  clumps  at  the  corners  of  the  beds  or  the  foot 
of  a  flight  of  steps.  Hemerocallis  fulva  is  the 
orange  Day  Lily,  a  rampant  grower,  with  larger  and 
less  attractive  flowers  than  flava.  Plant  it  in 
the  large  beds,  two  or  four  clumps  balancing  each 
other;  its  bloom  is  borne  on  long  stems  well  above 
the  other  plants.  It  spreads  very  rapidly  and 
should  be  kept  from  reaching  out  into  the  clumps 
of  Phlox,  Foxglove,  etc.,  for  a  little  of  it  goes  a  long 
way. 

Rudbeckia,  or  Golden  Glow,  is  not  included  in 
the  above  list  for  it  is  not  necessary  to  use  it,  and 
it  is  of  such  weed-like  growth  that  it  is  apt  to 
spread  over  everything.  Small  clusters  of  it  may 
be  distributed  through  the  Phlox  in  the  large  beds, 
but  place  them  where  the  lower  part  of  the  stalks 
will  be  hidden,  for  the  old  leaves  generally  wither. 
It  should  be  kept  low  by  pinching  off  the  leaf 
crowns,  and  although  the  individual  flowers  will 
not  be  improved  by  this  method  you  will  get  the 
colour,  which  is  all  you  need,  and  the  plants  will  not 
grow  to  such  a  height  that  they  will  be  broken  off 


THE  BEST  PERENNIALS  FOR  THE  GARDEN   323 

and  ruined  by  the  wind,  for  although  you  may 
stake  them  it  is  impossible  to  keep  the  long  stalks 
in  a  natural  position,  and  staking  should  be  avoided 
as  much  as  possible.  Keep  Rudbeckia  down  to  the 
height  of  five  feet. 

If  you  have  to  use  stakes  in  the  garden  have 
them  as  small  as  possible,  and  painted  green.  The 
Dahlias  will  have  to  be  staked,  and  the  Larkspurs 
and  Campanula  pyramid-alls  probably;  and  some 
of  the  Phlox  will  grow  so  rampantly  that  it  will 
need  support.  When  you  have  made  up  your  mind 
to  do  any  staking,  do  not  delay  the  operation  any 
longer  than  necessary. 


CHAPTER  XV 

NATURALIZING 

N  page  139  is  the 
picture  of  an  old 
Georgian  mansion 
in    Virginia.      The 
in    the    foreground, 
which  is  many  acres  in  ex- 
tent, has  been  thickly  nat- 
uralized   with    Jonquils    and    Narcissi. 
Standing  by  the  sundial  in  early  Spring 
a  sea  of  gold  lies  spread  out  at  one's  feet, 
a  living  sea  that  melts  away  into  the 
young  green  of  the  neighbouring  woods. 
When  the  wind  blows  the  sea  is  ruffled 
and  furrowed  by  the  most  graceful  bil- 
lows, and  the  faint  water-lily  scent  of  the 
flowers  is  borne  in  on  the  fresh  Spring 
air,  mingled  with  the  odour  of  newly- 
turned  turf  and  the  smoke  from  the  neigh- 
bouring cabins.     The  sight  of  a  field  of 
325 


326  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

Daffodils  played  upon  by  the  wind  is  one  never  to  be 
forgotten.  The  most  tender  symphony  is  produced 
without  sound,  as  the  tops  and  stems  sway  mu- 
sically to  the  varying  whims  and  inspirations  of 
the  breeze,  bending  now  this  way,  now  that,  or 
fluttering  uncertainly  for  a  moment  before  renew- 
ing their  rhythmic  undulations.  A  faint  accom- 
panying murmur  of  the  breeze  from  the  budding 
trees  adds  to  the  almost  imperceptible  melody. 

Narcissi  are  much  more  enjoyable  and  more 
beautiful  when  growing  through  the  grass  of  a 
field  than  planted  primly  along  the  borders  of 
the  garden,  where,  to  be  sure,  they  are  useful  and 
mildly  effective  for  a  little  colour,  but  where  they 
present  an  ultra-formal  appearance  and  suggest  the 
backyards  of  a  city  where  they  can  be  grown 
equally  well.  Some  spot  may  be  found  surely  on 
a  small  place  where  they  may  be  naturalized, — on 
the  edge  of  the  lawn,  in  a  clearing  in  a  grove;  or 
where  the  garden  ends  and  the  long,  natural  grass 
of  a  meadow  begins ;  on  a  bank  or  terrace  or  grassy 
knoll.  If  planted  in  the  rough  grass  the  bulbs 
ripen  before  the  scythe  has  to  be  employed  and 
they  do  not  interfere  with  a  crop  of  hay.  They 


NATURALIZING  329 

grow  and  multiply,  especially  in  deep,  loamy  soils 
where  there  is  a  good  deal  of  moisture  in  the  Spring 
of  the  year.  A  very  successful  bed  was  naturalized 
by  the  author  between  the  lawn  and  a  thick  clump 
of  wild  trees.  A  band  of  the  bulbs  about  four  and 
a  half  feet  wide  was  planted,  following  the  outline 
of  the  woodlet,  which  was  composed  of  Oaks  and 
Elms.  The  ground  fell  off  a  little  toward  the  trees 
so  the  rain  to  a  certain  extent  was  carried  away, 
but  the  soil  was  deep  leaf-mould  that  had  never 
been  disturbed  and  is  always  quite  damp  except 
for  a  few  weeks  in  Midsummer.  The  bed  was  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  and  was  carried  in  a 
graceful  line  around  a  large  rock  about  which  a 
clump  of  old  Cedars  twined  their  gnarled  roots,  until 
it  was  lost  to  sight  in  the  wild  growth  of  a  little 
glade.  Emperor,  Empress,  Von  Sion,  Sir  Watkin 
and  Barri  Conspicuus  were  used,  and  the  different 
shades  of  yellow,  primrose  and  orange-red,  and  the 
different  characters  of  the  heads  of  bloom  added 
great  interest  and  beauty  to  the  effect.  The  bulbs 
were  planted  close  together  so  that  there  was  a 
dazzling  and  solid  band  of  colour,  and  when  they 
faded  their  places  were  taken  by  Cranesbill  (wild 


330  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

Geranium)  which  was  supported  by  a  background 
of  Ferns  that  had  begun  to  stray  out  of  the  dark 
depths  of  the  woods  towards  the  warmer  shadows 
of  the  lawn. 

The  cheapest  Narcissi  to  use  are  the  medium 
trumpet  varieties  that  may  be  obtained  in  mixture 
from  a  dollar  and  fifteen  cents  to  a  dollar  and  a 
half  a  hundred.  But  the  gratification  that  one  ex- 
periences from  planting  some  of  the  named  varieties 
of  marked  characteristics  and  colours  is  out  of  all 
proportion  to  the  extra  expenditure.  The  best 
Narcissi  are: 

BARRI  CONSPICUUS;  primrose,  stained  orange 
scarlet. 

BICOLOR  EMPRESS;  white  perianth,  yellow  trum- 
pet. 

EMPRESS;  very  large;  rich  golden  yellow. 

GOLDEN  SPUR;  large  yellow  trumpet,  deep  yel- 
low petals. 

INCOMPARABILIS  CYNOSURE;  sulphur  petals  and 
cup,  stained  with  deep  orange-red. 

SIR  WATKIN  (Welsh  Chalice  Flower) ;  very  large; 
sulphur  cup,  orange  petals. 

PRINCEPS  (Irish  Daffodil) ;  primrose  and  yellow. 


NATURALIZING  333 

SINGLE  YELLOW  JONQUIL,  CAMPERNELLE  JON- 
QUIL, NARCISSUS  POETICUS  (the  little  white,  starry 
flower  with  a  pheasant's  eye)  can  be  established 
easily  and  increase  very  rapidly.  Poeticus  should 
be  planted  in  a  dry  place,  however,  or  it  will  not 
blossom.  The  best  place  to  naturalize  it  is  on  a 
little  knoll  on  the  edge  of  a  lawn  or  grove  of  trees, 
where  it  is  well  shown  off.  Poeticus  ornatus  is  an 
improved  Poeticus  that  blooms  early,  the  first  of 
May;  the  old  variety  blooms  the  last  of  the  same 
month,  the  last  of  the  Narcissi  to  appear.  Jonquils 
may  be  naturalized  in  the  half  long  grass,  or  in 
the  company  of  Poeticus  which  it  precedes  in  bloom 
by  several  weeks.  All  the  Narcissi  grow  well  in  the 
shade.  The  small  bulbs  can  be  planted  with  a 
dibble,  a  sharp,  pistol-shaped  instrument  with 
which  holes  are  bored  in  the  ground.  The  trowel 
will  have  to  be  used  for  the  larger  bulbs,  to  scoop 
out  a  cylinder  of  turf. 

The  white,  sweet-scented,  double  Narcissus  whose 
flower  is  something  like  a  Gardenia,  is  worthless 
out  of  doors.  One  authority  says  that  it  must  be 
planted  in  a  dry  position  if  you  wish  it  to  bloom; 
another,  that  it  will  not  do  well  without  moisture. 


334  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

My  experience  has  been  that  no  matter  where  it  is 
planted  the  bud  will  shrivel  up  just  when  it  seems 
about  to  burst  into  flower.  It  is  most  fickle  and 
it  does  not  pay  to  bother  with  it. 

The  GESNERIANA  TULIP  can  be  naturalized  suc- 
cessfully, and  should  be  placed  in  clumps  along  the 
edge  of  a  bank  or  near  shrubbery,  where  it  is  not 
too  dry.  The  flower  is  a  beautiful  red  in  colour 
and  is  borne  on  a  long,  straight  stem.  It  is  very 
decorative  when  cut.  Like  the  Cottage  Garden 
Tulips,  Gesneriana  is  rather  too  formal  and  Dutch 
looking  when  used  in  rows  in  the  garden. 

CROCUSES  are  not  of  much  value  in  the  garden. 
They  are  very  early,  but  that  is  their  chief  claim 
to  favour.  When  they  first  appear  our  eyes  have 
been  flower-starved  for  so  long  that  we  welcome 
them  with  much  pleasure  and  talk  about  their  ad- 
vent at  the  breakfast  table.  Crocuses  should  be 
placed  in  the  lawn,  or  on  the  edge  of  the  meadow, 
and  will  have  to  be  renewed  about  every  two  or 
three  years.  One  sometimes  sees  Crocuses  bloom- 
ing through  a  late  snow,  and  when  they  are  dis- 
covered in  such  a  plight  the  effect  is  quite  startling. 

COLUMBINE  is  found  in  a  natural  state  in  poor 


NATURALIZING  337 

soil,  growing  on  rocks  in  the  partly  cleared  woods, 
where  it  is  shady.  The  native  variety,  red  and 
yellow  in  colour,  Aquilegea  Canadensis,  should  be 
naturalized  on  rocky  knolls  on  the  edge  of  the  lawn 
or  in  the  woods. 

LILIUM  LONGIFLORUM  naturalized  in  a  glade 
near  water,  or  where  the  sound  of  water  may  be 
heard,  with  ferns  for  companions,  looks  better  than 
anywhere  else.  The  lilies,  except  carididum,  like 
shade  and  if  you  have  no  wood  in  which  to  estab- 
lish them  place  a  clump  near  some  shrubs  or  by  a 
group  of  trees. 

The  CYPRIPEDIUMS  are  Orchids  and  are  the  most 
beautiful  of  our  wild  flowers.  C.  spectabile,  or 
Showy  Lady  Slipper,  grows  to  the  height  of  two 
feet  and  bears  a  rose-white  flower.  It  can  be  grown 
in  moist  leaf -mould  well  shaded,  and  is  beautiful 
naturalized  in  a  damp  wood.  C.  piibescens,  Yellow 
Lady  Slipper,  and  C.  candidum,  White,  require  the 
same  treatment.  C.  acaule,  or  Moccasin  Flower, 
should  be  planted  where  it  will  be  well  drained. 
The  plant  throws  up  two  broad  leaves  from  the 
base,  and  from  between  them  grows  a  stalk  a  foot 
high  that  bears  a  purple-rose  flower. 


338  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

FOXGLOVE  is  easy  to  naturalize  and  is  very  effec- 
tive grown  in  the  woods  or  along  woodland  paths. 
I  have  had  plants  grow  in  the  shadiest  part  of  an 
Oak  grove,  from  seed  sifting  through  the  garden 
sweepings  that  had  been  thrown  there.  Foxgloves 
sow  themselves  and  increase  rapidly,  and  can  be  so 
easily  moved  that  clumps  of  them  may  be  trans- 
planted to  any  position  desired.  White  is  the  most 
effective  colour  in  the  wood,  and  white  with  Glox- 
inia-like spots,  which  add  greatly  to  the  odd  form 
of  the  flower.  White  and  purple  may  be  combined 
in  groups,  and  as  the  purple  grows  to  a  greater 
height  and  forms  strong,  erect  spikes,  it  is  the  best 
to  use  for  the  centre  of  the  clumps.  Foxglove  is 
not  only  easy  but  cheap  to  naturalize,  and  the  ef- 
fect obtained  with  it  is  most  striking  as  it  is  not 
particularly  familiar  in  such  connection  and  is  one 
of  the  comparatively  few  plants  that  can  be  suc- 
cessfully grown  and  bloomed  in  the  shade.  Trans- 
plant Foxgloves  in  early  Spring,  and  sow  every  sea- 
son to  keep  a  supply  coming. 

Many  wild  flowers  may  be  grown  on  the  edge  of 
the  lawn,  and  where  there  is  a  field  in  sight  of  the 
garden  or  yard  it  may  be  made  attractive  with 


Foxgloves  along  a  Woodland  Path. 


NATURALIZING  341 

some  of  our  native  plants.  The  line  between  the 
semi-formal  garden  and  the  wild  garden  of  fields 
and  woods  should  not  be  too  sharply  drawn.  One 
should  melt  gracefully  into  the  other,  like  the 
mingling  of  the  fountain's  overflow  with  the 
brook.  If  your  grounds  possess  any  good  natural 
features,  such  as  a  wood  or  glade,  or  knolls  or  rocks, 
let  them  alone;  do  not  try  to  civilize  them  too 
much  or  decorate  them  with  exotic  plants  and 
flowers. 

Following  is  a  list  of  hardy  herbaceous  plants 
that  are  of  secondary  importance  in  the  garden  on 
account  of  their  medium  size  and  less  striking  char- 
acteristics. They  may  be  planted  along  the  bor- 
ders of  the  paths  or  in  some  place  that  has  not  filled 
out  according  to  your  expectations. 

AQUILEGIA,  or  Columbine.  One  of  the  most  sat- 
isfactory varieties  to  grow  is  ccerulea,  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Blue  Columbine.  It  is  one  of  the  easiest 
to  raise  and  is  perfectly  hardy  and  persistent. 
Height,  three  feet.  Glandulosa  vera  bears  innumer- 
able flowers  of  large  size.  Plant  the  seed  in  the 
Spring  and  transplant  wrhen  three  inches  high. 


342  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

Transplant  again  in  the  Fall  to  permanent  position. 
It  will  bloom  the  second  season. 

COREOPSIS,  grandiflora.  Plant  in  the  Spring  and 
combine  a  number  of  seedlings  into  a  clump  which 
may  be  set  out  in  the  garden  in  early  Fall.  It  will 
make  quite  a  bush,  but  the  yellow  flowers  should 
be  kept  well  picked  off  if  continuance  of  bloom  is 
to  be  expected.  Moves  easily  any  time  if  taken 
up  with  a  good  ball. 

CAMPANULA.  Besides  the  varieties  pyramidalis 
and  rotundifolia  the  Medium  Rose  and  White  are 
good.  These  are  biennials,  blooming  the  second 
year  and  then  dying  down.  Seed  should  be  planted 
every  Spring  if  you  wish  to  keep  a  supply  on  hand. 
The  Medium  is  the  true  Canterbury  Bell  and  blooms 
in  June  and  July.  A  good  perennial  Campanula 
is  per  seed  folia  grandiflora  and  p.  g.  alba,  blue  and 
white  respectively,  with  large  flowers  blooming  in 
June  and  July.  The  Campanulas  stay  in  blossom 
for  some  time  and  are  altogether  one  of  the 
most  satisfactory  perennials.  Plant  seed  in  the 
Spring  and  establish  the  plants  in  the  garden  in 
the  Fall,  covering  them  up  well  with  top-dressing. 
Unless  the  plants  are  well  grown  it  is  safer  to  win- 


Trumpet  Narcissus. 


NATURALIZING  345 

ter  them  in  the  cold  frame.  Carpathian  Harebell 
(Campanula  carpatica)  is  a  small  graceful  bell- 
flower  of  very  attractive  form  and  habit.  C.  frag- 
iliSj  C.  turbinata  and  C.  pumila  are  also  worthy  of 
a  place  in  the  border  if  there  is  room.  For  the 
best  bell-flower  effect,  however,  C.  perscecifolia 
grandiflora  alba,  C.  pyramidalis  and  C.  medium 
are  the  best  to  use.  The  two  former  bloom  until 
quite  late  in  the  Summer,  but  Medium,  which  is  a 
biennial,  is  over  by  the  end  of  June. 

Good  perennial  CORNFLOWERS  are  macrocephala 
and  candidissima.  Will  do  well  in  almost  any 
soil  and  if  started  early  will  flower  the  first 
season. 

A  very  good  perennial  that  grows  easily  and 
blooms  early  in  the  spring  is  MYOSOTIS,  or  Forget- 
me-not.  It  likes  a  cool,  moist  soil  and  if  rightly 
situated  will  bloom  all  Summer.  The  bloom  should 
be  kept  well  picked  off.  It  may  be  started  in  Au- 
gust to  bloom  the  next  Spring  and  may  be  set  out 
with  Pansies  in  the  border  along  the  path.  Good 
varieties  are  alpestris,  alpestris  robusta  grandiflora, 
alpestris  Victoria. 

DIANTHUS  Heddewigii,    Japan  Pink,  is  a  most 


346  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

attractive  little  flower  of  many  colours,  that  blooms 
profusely  and  continues  to  bloom  for  some  time  if 
the  flowers  are  well  plucked.  There  is  not  much 
place  for  Pinks  in  the  flower  garden,  unless  along 
some  border,  but  they  are  good  in  the  kitchen  gar- 
den. Dianthus  plumarius  is  the  old-fashioned  May 
Pink,  sweet  scented,  that  might  be  placed  in  the 
Court  of  Honour.  Grow  them  in  Summer  and 
transplant  to  the  garden  in  early  Spring. 

SNAPDRAGON,  antirrhinum  is  a  very  attractive 
perennial  but  a  tender  one;  the  colours  are  soft 
and  of  a  good  variety;  the  foliage  a  dark  green 
and  of  extremely  graceful  habit.  It  will  blossom 
the  first  year  if  sown  early;  but  the  best  way  is 
to  sow  it  in  July  and  winter  the  plants  in  the  cold 
frame  for  they  will  not  live  in  the  open  ground. 
They  should  be  sown  every  year.  If  this  plant  is 
given  good  care  and  well  fertilized  the  flower  stalks 
and  flowers  will  grow  to  an  enormous  size.  It  is 
very  effective  to  cut  as  the  graceful  stalks  droop 
over  prettily  in  a  vase  or  bowl.  New  York  florists 
recognize  its  decorative  qualities  and  force  it  for 
early  Spring  sale. 

PYRETHRUMS  are  much  used  in  English  gardens 


Poet's  Narcissus. 


NATURALIZING  349 

in  combination  with  Campanulas,  Delphiniums  and 
so  forth,  and  make  a  good  foreground  for  such 
plants.  They  grow  much  more  luxuriantly  in  Eng- 
land however  than  they  do  with  us,  and  it  would 
not  be  well  to  rely  too  much  upon  their  cooperation 
for  effects  in  the  common  sense  garden.  Plant 
them  in  front  of  Canterbury  Bells,  or  Larkspur,  and 
the  yellow  Pyrethrums  make  a  good  foreground  for 
White  Lilies.  They  need  much  moisture  and  should 
be  kept  well  watered,  and  in  dry  seasons  mulched 
with  manure.  The  single  varieties  are  like  Daisies 
in  form,  but  come  in  many  colours  such  as  crimson, 
pink,  white  and  yellow ;  and  the  single  varieties  are 
the  best  ones  for  a  small  garden.  The  double  va- 
rieties are  more  like  Chrysanthemums,  and  as  they 
bloom  in  June  their  form  seems  a  little  bit  incon- 
gruous and  affected  in  a  modest  enclosure.  Cer- 
tain seedsmen  of  England  have  much  improved 
Pyrethrums  of  late  years  and  it  is  to  them  that  we 
owe  the  large  range  of  colour.  The  best  colours 
to  use  for  a  small  garden  in  combination  with  Lilies 
or  Campanula  or  Delphinium  are  yellow  and  white. 
The  flowers  are  borne  most  profusely  in  June,  and 
if  the  bushes  are  well  cut  down  just  as  the  bloom 


350  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

begins  to  wane  a  good  second  crop  will  appear  in 
the  early  Autumn. 

LAVENDER,  a  grey-green  shrub-like  plant,  prob- 
ably has  more  tradition  and  sentiment  connected 

i 

with  it  than  any  other  flower.  It  thrives  in  Eng- 
land in  light,  warm  soils.  It  is  apparently  difficult 
to  raise  from  seed,  so  that  it  is  better  to  procure 
plants  from  the  nurseryman  which  may  be  in- 
creased by  division.  Protection  should  be  given 
them  in  Winter  in  this  climate,  and  they  should  be 
planted  in  a  very  warm,  sunny  position,  on  the 
slope  of  a  bank  or  terrace.  There  is  a  white- 
flowered  variety  that  is  just  as  sweet  as  the  blue 
and  blossoms  at  the  same  time,  so  that  if  the  two 
are  combined  the  clump  will  be  more  interesting. 
The  best  place  to  plant  seeds  is  in  a  cold  frame; 
not  that  the  protection  of  the  glass  is  necessary, 
but  in  a  frame  the  seed  bed  is  protected  and  the 
young  seedlings  are  kept  safe.  The  amount  of 
moisture  may  be  regulated,  which  is  an  important 
thing,  and  heavy  rains  that  are  so  often  disastrous 
to  seeds  in  the  open  ground  may  be  kept  off.  Sow 
the  seeds  in  drills  and  transplant  when  two  inches 
high  to  another  frame.  To  keep  off  cats  and  dogs 


Perennials  bordering  an  old  Path. 


NATURALIZING  353 

and  chickens  a  lattice  of  laths  may  be  made  and 
laid  over  the  top  of  the  frame. 

It  is  a  good  thing  to  have  some  annuals,  not  only 
to  use  for  cutting  but  also  for  filling  out  the  flower 
garden  when  something  happens  to  the  established 
clumps,  as  something  very  often  will  in  the  best 
regulated  gardens. 

ZINNIAS  are  good,  as  they  bloom  until  frost  and 
the  plants  grow  into  bushes  of  attractive  form. 
Crimson  and  white  and  flesh  pink  are  the  best 
colours. 

BALSAM,  or  Lady  Slipper,  is  one  of  the  easiest 
grown  annuals.  If  transplanted  several  times  the 
plants  will  grow  bushy  and  develop  into  miniature 
trees  covered  with  Camellia-like  bloom.  The  dou- 
ble white,  carmine,  lavender,  rose,  in  fact  all  the 
colours  are  good.  The  Balsams  cannot  be  used  for 
cutting  but  they  are  an  attractive  old  flower  that 
it  will  pay  to  cultivate. 

CALENDULAS  and  MARIGOLDS  should  be  grown 
for  the  purpose  of  filling  up.  The  tall-growing 
Marigolds  if  kept  cut  back  will  develop  into  bushy 
plants  and  may  be  moved  any  time  if  a  little  care 
is  taken.  Choose  a  rainy  day,  and  if  the  sun  should 


354  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

come  out  very  strong  cover  them  over  with  an 
awning  of  some  sort. 

PANSIES  should  be  started  in  July,  and  if  early- 
flowering  plants  are  wanted  they  should  be  win- 
tered in  a  frame.  Otherwise  they  may  be  win- 
tered in  the  open  ground  if  a  good  covering  of  litter 
and  straw  is  given.  Set  them  firmly  and  deeply 
in  the  ground.  If  Pansies  are  placed  in  partial 
shade  and  kept  well  picked  off  they  will  bloom  all 
Summer.  One  of  the  most  attractive  strains  is 
Trimardean  Giant;  the  plants  are  vigorous  and 
the  flowers  borne  on  long  stems;  colours  delicate, 
blotched  and  shaded,  with  many  clarets,  browns, 
and  blues  of  alluring  shades. 

GLADIOLI,  the  familiar  Summer-flowering  bulbs 
may  be  easily  grown,  either  in  the  kitchen  garden 
for  cutting  or  for  stately  specimens  of  bloom  in  the 
flower  garden.  No  place  has  been  assigned  to  them 
in  the  plan  of  planting  as  their  location  will  have 
to  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  the  proprietor,  who 
may  best  use  them  for  filling  in  bare  spots  that  un- 
expectedly appear.  Gladioli  should  be  planted  in 
succession  from  the  middle  of  May  to  the  tenth 
of  July.  For  the  flower  garden  use  Lemoines, 


A  good  Opportunity  for  Natural izi ng. 


NATURALIZING  357 

Childsii  and  GrofPs  Hybrids,  but  for  the  cutting 
bed  any  of  the  ordinary  mixtures  that  cost  from  a 
dollar  and  a  quarter  to  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  hun- 
dred will  do,  and  they  will  be  found  to  be  much 
surer  than  the  fancy  strains  and  altogether  satis- 
factory, although  they  do  not  produce  such  large 
and  showy  spikes  of  bloom.  The  bulbs  should  be 
taken  up  in  the  Fall  and  stored  in  a  dry  cellar 
where  the  temperature  will  not  go  below  thirty-five 
degrees. 

COSMOS  should  be  kept  out  of  the  garden. 
Blooms  very  late  and  is  generally  caught  by  frost. 

NASTURTIUMS;  tall  growing  to  train  over  the 
hedge.  Nasturtiums  should  be  planted  where  they 
are  to  be  used  as  they  are  badly  checked  when 
transplanted. 

PETUNIAS;  double  varieties  of  different  colours. 

POPPIES;  Shirley;  double  varieties;  Mephisto; 
Maid  of  the  Mist. 

STOCKS;  Ten  Weeks  and  late  flowering  sorts; 
rather  uncertain  about  coming  into  bloom. 

WALL  FLOWER  ;  Paris  is  a  single  annual  with  the 
peculiarly  sweet  Wallflower  scent;  easy  to  grow 
and  attractive  along  the  path. 


358  COMMON   SENSE   GARDENS 

SUNFLOWER;  single  Russian;  double  Globe  Flow- 
ered. 

The  design  for  planting  the  flower  garden  shown 
in  this  chapter  is  simple  and  easily  carried  out. 
The  material  for  the  enclosure  should  first  be  de- 
cided upon,  and  if  the  garden  is  on  a  lawn  a  hedge 
should  be  used.  Pickets,  or  a  brick  wall  with 
pickets,  are  better  where  the  space  is  uneven  and 
closely  surrounded  by  trees,  for  if  built  on  a 
level,  open  lawn  they  stand  out  a  little  too  con- 
spicuously. 

The  paths  should  be  dug  out  to  a  depth  of  two 
or  two  and  a  half  feet  and  filled  in  with  stone. 
Made  thus,  they  act  as  blind  drains  and  carry  off 
the  superfluous  water  from  the  flower  beds.  The 
last  three  or  four  inches  of  stone  should  be  broken 
up  into  small  pieces  and  well  packed.  If  bricks 
are  used  for  the  paths  they  should  be  set  in  a  bed 
of  sand  three  inches  deep  at  least  and  well  ham- 
mered down.  An  English  brickmason  is  the  best 
man  to  lay  such  paths;  he  will  understand  their 
construction  perfectly.  The  best  bond  to  use  is 
herringbone,  the  way  the  English  walks  are  laid. 

The  next  best  thing  to  brick  is  white  gravel, 


Iris  on  the  Edge  of  the  Lawn. 


NATURALIZING 


361 


the  kind  that  is  used  on  tarred  roofs.  For  this 
gravel  make  a  bed  of  one  and  a  half  inches  of 
clay  on  top  of  the  stone  filling  and  roll  the  first 
dressing  well  in.  Finish  off  with  two  inches  of  a 
smaller  size  and  keep  it  loosened  up  with  an  iron 


Lavender. 

rake.  Paths  made  of  white  gravel  are  a  good  fin- 
ish for  the  garden,  not  quite  as  good,  as  brick  for 
the  colour  does  not  combine  so  well  with  the  flow- 
ers, but  much  better  than  bluestone  which  is  poor 
stuff;  the  colour  is  bad  and  its  associations  com- 
monplace. The  coarse  is  painful  to  walk  on,  and 
the  fine  screenings  dirty  and  sticky  after  a  rain. 


362  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

Both  brick  and  white  gravel  are  always  dry  even 
immediately  after  the  hardest  shower,  and  gravel 
particularly  is  so  clean  that  it  does  not  soil  the 
most  delicate  gown  with  which  it  comes  in  con- 
tact. Gravel  screened  to  any  size  can  be  ob- 
tained on  Long  Island  at  about  the  same  cost  as 
bluestone  or  traprock. 

In  a  common  sense  garden  there  is  not  much 
room  for  ornaments.  Even  a  Rose  pergola  should 
be  kept  out  of  it  if  it  is  small,  say  under  sixty  by 
thirty  feet.  If  your  heart  is  set  on  having  an  ar- 
bour, construct  one  in  some  other  part  of  the 
grounds  and  let  it  form  the  basis  of  a  Rose  garden. 
A  sundial  is  really  better  placed  on  a  terrace  or 
in  an  alcove  off  the  path  that  leads  to  the  garden. 
It  may  be  set  in  the  middle  of  the  path  if  there 
is  room,  but  do  not  place  it  in  a  flower  bed.  A 
sundial  arranged  with  a  background  of  Lilies  is  very 
effective.  The  round  bed  in  the  centre  of  the 
Court  of  Honour  is  an  appropriate  place,  but  I 
should  rather  see  an  old  Box  tree  there.  At  least 
try  a  Box,  and  if  you  are  not  satisfied  with  its  ap- 
pearance you  can  replace  it  with  a  sundial.  If  & 
sundial  is  set  on  a  raised  bed  of  turf,  naturalize 


HEMLOCK  01 


•1 

1 

^  *  *  m      s 

^ui  

E]        S        HI       0         0 

^    V       N? 

x             *    * 

BRICK  orGRA 

^ 

/f           /r      A         /r    j\       >c        /J"       / 

A   Delphinium 
B    Foxglove 
D   Sweet  William 
E    Lilies  (White) 
H   Lilies  (Orange) 


K    Phlox 


PLAN  OF  PLANTING  TH 
1  Campanula  marc 


L    Lilies  (Tiger)         2  Campanula  medi 


V   White  Lilac 
W  Laburnum 


3  Campanula  Pyra 

4  Japanese  Iris 

5  German  Iris 


WALK 


'LOWER  GARDEN 

aa  7   Nasturtium  12  Flowering  Almond 

8  Peony  13  Calycanthus 

•ilis  9  Hemerocallis  Flava  14  Hollyhocks 

10  Hemerocallis  Fulva  1.5  Dahlias 

11  Funkia  Alba  Hi  Hudbeckia 


NATURALIZING  367 

Narcissi  around  the  base  and  grow  Crocuses  and 
Narcissi  through  the  turf  of  the  bed. 

There  should  be  a  seat  in  the  garden  at  the  end 
of  a  path  near  a  hedge.  Do  not  use  rustic  or  Italian 
stone  seats.  Very  good  and  simple  garden  benches 
are  made  in  England,  and  I  know  of  nothing  better 
for  a  small  garden  than  one  of  these.  Several  of 
these  benches  are  pictured  on  page  371.  Your 
carpenter  could  build  one,  but  there  are  nurserymen 
who  have  the  working  designs  and  make  a  specialty 
of  constructing  them  at  a  reasonable  price.  They 
should  be  painted  white  or  green. 

Do  not  place  vases  or  pots  or  tubs  of  flowers  in 
the  garden  or  near  it.  Palms  and  other  exotics 
that  are  used  in  the  house  in  Winter  should  be  sum- 
mered in  some  secluded  spot;  you  will  enjoy  them 
all  the  more  when  they  come  home.  Hanging 
baskets  too,  are  obsolete  decorations  and  should  be 
sent  to  the  bourne  from  which  nothing  ever  re- 
turns, along  with  the  iron  stag  and  bronzed  Indian. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

A   SMALL   WATER   GARDEN 


I 


F  there  is  room  on  the 
place  for  a  Water  Gar- 
den   the    cultivation 
of  Water   Lilies   and 
water    plants    of    various 
sorts  will  be  found  to  be 
not    only   interesting,    but 
also  a  most  delightful  diversion.    If  there 
is  a  brook  or  small  pond  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  garden  that  can  be  utilized,  so 
much  the  better,  but  even  if  a  pool  has 
to  be  constructed  the  cost  may  be  kept 
within  bounds,  and  a  small  expanse  of 
water  will  serve  to  exploit  many  rare 
and  beautiful  blooms,  and  to  make  per- 
manent at  the  garden  side  many  attrac- 
tive forms  of  plant  life  that  otherwise  you 
would  have  to  wander  far  afield  to  enjoy. 
A  small  Water  Garden  is  a  good  adjunct 

369 


370  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

to  the  garden  proper,  or  to  the  Rose  Garden,  if 
they  can  be  combined  without  too  much  apparent 
effort. 

The  plan  given  in  this  chapter  was  drawn  for 
a  continuation  of  a  flower  garden,  and  the  beds 
numbered  15  are  planted  with  Peonies,  Hollyhocks 
and  Phlox  as  a  link  to  the  garden.  If  the  Water 
Garden  stands  by  itself  and  has  no  definite  connec- 
tion with  the  rest  of  the  planting,  this  part  of  the 
plan  may  be  modified  and  be  made  to  conform  to 
the  opposite  side  of  the  pool  by  planting  beds  num- 
bered 15  like  those  numbered  13,  with  Lilies,  Flags 
and  Funkias.  If  it  is  not  desirable  to  keep  beds 
numbered  13  and  14  in  herbaceous  plants  un- 
trimmed  hedges  may  be  planted  in  their  place,  and 
that  part  of  bed  numbered  15  that  borders  the  ap- 
proach should  be  included  in  this  new  plan.  For 
these  hedges  use  Lilac,  Althea,  Privet,  Red  Twigged 
Dogwood  and  Golden  Willow,  which  latter  will 
have  to  be  cut  back  rather  vigourously  every  year 
to  keep  it  in  line  with  the  other  shrubs.  As  a  back- 
ground for  the  Water  Garden  use  White  Willow, 
Weeping  Willow  and  Hemlock  Spruce,  and  under- 
neath them  plant  Rhododendron  album  elegans,  and 


Garden  Seats 


A  SMALL  WATER  GARDEN         373 

Rhododendron  album  grandiflorum,  varieties  that  do 
exceedingly  well  in  damp  situations  and  whose 
white  blossoms  are  most  effective  with  the  foliage 
of  the  Hemlock  and  Willow. 

The  pots  and  boxes  marked  11  in  the  plan  may 
be  done  away  with,  and  good  round  specimens  of 
Privet  used  in  their  stead.  Plant  beds  numbered 
12  with  Lilies,  Flags  and  Funkias.  Lilies  seem 
particularly  happy  near  water,  especially  White 
Lilies  like  candidum,  speciosum  and  longiflorum; 
or  the  beautiful  pink  speciosum  melpomone.  They 
make  a  most  appropriate  setting  for  a  pool;  the 
white  and  blue  Funkias  will  shelter  the  Lilies  and 
make  a  good  carpet  for  their  long  stems.  In  these 
beds  alternate  clumps  of  German  and  Japanese 
Iris,  placing  them  near  the  borders  two  and  a  half 
or  three  feet  apart.  In  beds  numbered  13  and  15 
use  Iris  in  the  same  way,  and  in  the  centre  of  each 
bed  a  specimen  of  Forsythia  viridissima,  Rosa  Ru- 
gosa,  or  Privet  might  be  placed  as  a  background 
against  which  to  show  off  White  Lilies  and  Aura- 
turn  Lilies.  Fill  in  these  beds  with  Ferns  which 
are  beautiful  in  the  Water  Garden  and  very  effec- 
tive with  Lilies;  they  afford  the  same  shelter  that 


374  COMMON   SENSE    GARDENS 

Funkias  supply,  protecting  the  tender  shoots  from 
the  winds  and  the  strong  sunlight.  The  Gossamer 
Fern  (Dicksonia  punctilobula)  grows  from  one  to 
one  and  a  half  feet  high  and  is  good  for  massing  in 
sunlight  or  partial  shade;  it  will  thrive  in  either  dry 
or  moist  soils  if  goo.d  drainage  is  provided.  The 
Ostrich  Fern  (Onoclea  struthiopteris)  grows  four  feet 
high  and  has  beautiful  palm-like  fronds;  use  it  as 
a  background  for  the  smaller  Ferns  and  Lilies.  It 
is  easy  to  grow  but  should  be  well  fertilized  and 
the  clumps  placed  two  feet  and  a  half  apart.  The 
Flowering  Fern  (Osmunda  regalis)  does  well  in 
moist  soils  in  either  sun  or  shade,  and  can  be  grown 
partially  submerged  in  water  on  the  edges  of  ponds 
or  streams.  The  clumps  should  be  planted  three 
feet  apart.  Maidenhair  Fern  (Adiantum  pedatum), 
is  easily  cultivated  if  deep  shade  is  given  and  good 
drainage  provided.  Plant  it  along  the  borders  of 
the  beds  one  foot  apart. 

Construct  the  tank  or  pool  of  concrete,  making 
the  sides  and  bottom  about  six  inches  thick.  The 
coping  may  be  made  of  cement  too,  instead  of 
marble  which  is  quite  expensive,  but  have  it  eight 
or  ten  inches  wide  and  do  not  let  it  rise  much  above 


Garden  Seats 


A  SMALL  WATER  GARDEN         377 

the  surface  of  the  ground;  the  lower  it  is  the  better 
the  effect  will  be.  The  urns  and  the  fountain  that 
are  in  the  plan  may  be  omitted,  and  for  the  latter 
a  small  inconspicuous  pipe  substituted  to  provide 
water  for  the  basin.  In  place  of  stone  benches 
English  garden  seats  might  be  used  with  just  as 
good  results,  but  seats  of  some  sort  you  should  have 
as  you  will  use  them  continually.  Around  the  cop- 
ing a  turf  border  may  be  laid  instead  of  the  bed  of 
Aegopodium  in  the  plan  (No.  10).  Make  the  turf 
border  one  and  one-half  feet  wide  and  plant  it  with 
clumps  of  Japanese  Iris,  Iris  sibirica  and  Flower- 
ing Fern,  naturalizing  Narcissi  between  the  clumps. 
The  border  should  be  confined  by  a  brick  coping, 
the  ends  of  the  bricks  being  embedded  and  pro- 
truding two  inches  above  the  level  of  the  path. 

On  the  curved  side  of  the  pool  build  a  shelf  ten 
inches  wide  with  a  side  four  inches  high,  and  place 
it  so  that  it  will  be  four  or  five  inches  below  the 
surface  of  the  water.  This  shelf  is  4,  5,  6,  7  in  the 
plan  and  should  be  planted  with  (4  and  6)  Parrot's 
Feather,  (5)  Water  Poppy,  and  (7)  Bulrush.  Also 
make  shelves  for  the  two  angles  (8)  and  plant  them 
under  water  with  the  Cat-tail  Flag  (Typha  lati- 


378  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

folia).  The  shelf  numbered  9  is  for  Cyperus  alter- 
nifolia,  a  graceful  flowering  Sedge  with  bright  green 
foliage.  The  plants  established  on  these  shelves 
are  those  whose  natural  habitat  is  the  shallow  water, 
on  the  shores  of  ponds,  and  planted  in  this  way 
they  appear  to  be  growing  from  the  bottom  of  the 
pool.  They  make  an  excellent  border  for  the  basin 
and  furnish  it  luxuriantly. 

The  Water  Lilies  marked  1,  2,  3  on  the  plan 
should  be  planted  in  slat-sided  boxes  in  good  rich 
loam,  and  placed  on  the  bottom  of  the  pool  three 
feet  below  the  surface.  No.  1  is  Nympheamarliacea 
chromatella,  a  Marliac  hybrid,  a  large,  yellow,  fra- 
grant Lily  that  blooms  continuously  through  the 
Summer.  It  is  hardy,  and  may  be  left  in  the  pool 
from  year  to  year  if  the  water  is  not  drawn  off  in 
the  Winter.  No.  2,  Nymphea  Zanzibar ensis  is  not 
hardy  and  should  be  taken  up  in  the  Fall  and 
stored  in  some  warm,  damp  place  until  Spring.  It 
is  hardly  worth  while  to  go  to  so  much  trouble  for 
one  plant,  however,  and  it  would  be  better  to  pro- 
cure a  new  specimen  each  year,  for  warm,  damp 
places  are  hard  to  find.  This  Lily  is  worth  buying 
anew  each  season,  for  it  blooms  freely  and  bears  a 


Plan  of  Plantii 


i  Water  Garden 


A  SMALL  WATER  GARDEN         383 

beautiful,  very  large,  deep  purple  flower.  Nymphea 
tuberosa  Richardsoni  is  an  American  Lily  with  large 
double  flowers. 

The  above  named  Water  Lilies  were  chosen  for 
their  blooming  qualities,  as  they  flower  abundantly 
all  the  season,  for  in  a  small  pool  continuous  bloom 
is  absolutely  necessary.  The  well  known  Pond 
Lily  is  almost  as  beautiful  as  any,  and  has  the 
sweetest  perfume,  but  it  will  not  make  any  show 
in  a  small  garden  as  it  is  a  shy  bloomer  of  medium 
growth.  And  it  is  so  with  many  other  Lilies  that 
would  be  satisfactory  in  a  pond  or  good-sized  nat- 
ural pool  or  backwater,  but  that  would  prove  ex- 
asperating in  a  garden  basin. 

If  the  pool  is  three  feet  deep  as  it  should  be,  the 
water  may  be  left  in  it  all  Winter  if  the  top  is 
boarded  over  and  covered  with  a  few  inches  of 
leaves  or  straw.  Then  most  of  the  plants  may  be 
left  undisturbed  from  year  to  year.  The  goldfish, 
with  which  every  pool  should  be  plentifully  pro- 
vided, may  be  left  for  the  Winter  too,  and  this  will 
save  a  lot  of  trouble  and  care.  The  fish  will  be  use- 
ful in  keeping  down  the  " wrigglers"  and  are  a 
source  of  much  pleasure  besides.  Toads  will  come 


384  COMMON   SENSE   GARDENS 

down  to  your  waterside  in  armies  to  breed,  but  the 
spawn  which  is  readily  discerned  floating  on  the 
surface  of  the  water  may  easily  be  removed  with 
a  little  scoop  net  made  of  fine  gauze;  and  toads 
should  really  be  encouraged  as  they  destroy  millions 
of  undesirable  insects. 

In  Summer,  except  in  very  dry  periods,  the  rain 
will  provide  all  the  fresh  water  that  is  needed,  and 
rain-water  is  much  better  than  water  from  the  tap. 
If  the  latter  is  supplied  too  freely  in  hot  weather 
a  very  undesirable  water-plant  that  much  resem- 
bles noxious  green  scum  will  spring  up  quickly  and 
prove  a  nuisance. 

List  of  Water  Lilies  for  Ponds,  Tanks  and  Tubs: 

Nymphea  pygmaea;  Asiatic  white  Water  Lily; 
can  be  grown  in  a  few  inches  of  water;  small, 
not  free  blooming. 

N.  Helvola;  yellow;  small;  the  best  Water  Lily 
for  a  tub. 

N.  alba  candidissima;  of  the  finest  form;  re- 
quires a  great  deal  of  room  and  a  depth  of  water 
of  five  or  six  feet. 


A    SMALL    WATER    GARDEN  385 

N.  alba  rosea;  pale  rosy  pink;  the  earliest  to 
flower,  ceasing  early. 

N.  Gladstoniana,  pure  white;  broad  petals;  one 
of  the  best. 

N.  odorata;  American  white  Water  Lily;  me- 
dium growth. 

N.  odorata  rubra;  Cape  Cod  variety;  pink; 
small;  not  a  free  bloomer. 

HYBRIDS 

N.  marliacea  Candida;  very  large;  white;  flower 
seven  to  ten  inches  in  diameter. 

N.  marliacea  rosea;  decided  pink  tinge;  flowers 
of  good  form. 

N.  marliacea  flammea;  highly  coloured;  very 
fine. 

N.  marliacea  rubra-pundala;  very  large;  colour 
carmine. 

The  foregoing  hybrids  are  of  vigourous  growth 
and  are  better  in  deep  water,  from  three  and  a  half 
to  eight  feet. 

The  following  are  suited  to  shallow  pools,  tanks 
or  tubs: 


ocS()  COMMON    SENSE    GARDENS 

N.  Laydekcri  rosea;  pale  rose,  growing  darker 
with  age;  early  flowering;  difficult  to  propagate. 

N.  Laydekcri  lilacina;  flowers  tinged  with  lilac. 

N.  Laydekeri  fulgens;  darker  than  lilacina j  with 
quite  large  flowers. 

N.  Laydekeri  prolifera;  free  flowering;  pink. 

N.  odorata  rosacea;  very  pale  pink;  free  flower- 
ing. 

N.  odorata  sulphurea  grandiflora;  pale  yellow; 
flowers  carried  well  out  of  the  water;  foliage  mot- 
tled; petals  long,  narrow  and  tapering. 

N.  Robinsoni;  red  with  a  tinge  of  yellow;  a 
good  grower. 

N.  (jloriosa;  carmine;  finest  of  all  the  hybrids. 


INDEX 


I  N  D  E  X 


Adiantum  pedatum,  374 
^Egopodium  (Goat- weed),  377 
Agapanthus    (African    Lily), 

'380 

Alexandria,  Va.,  11 
Alpine  Rose,  225 
Altar,  of  Box,  34 
Althea,   151 
Ampelopsis  Veitchi,258;  Vir- 

ginica,  258 

Anne  de  Diesbach  Rose,  228 
Annuals,  list  of,  353 
Antirrhinum,   cultivation  of, 

346 

Apollinaris,  37 
Aquilegea,  cultivation  of,  341 ; 

varieties  of,  341 
Araby,  33 
Arbor  Vitsr,  123 
Arbour,  in  place  of  pergola, 

51 

Arbour  Roses,  253 
Architects,  16;  garden,  77 
Architecture,  style  of,  21,  25 
Arley,  garden  at,  278 
Arlington,  30,  51 
Auratum  Lilies,  in  the  water 

garden,  373 

Background,  for  flowers,  277; 

for  Roses,  263 
Balsam,  best  colours,  353 


Baltimore  Belle  Rose,  248 

Banksia  Rose,  218 

Bay,  34 

Bessie  Brown  Rose,  243 

Beech  Tree,  93 

Bignonia  grandiflora;  radi- 
cans,  254 

Black  Rose,  226 

Blanche  Moreau,  Moss  Rose, 
217 

Bleeding  Heart,  292 

Blyborough,   garden  at,   273 

Bouibon  Roses,  list  of, 
244 

Box,  clipped  and  ornamental, 
34;  abundance  of,  37;  asso- 
ciation of,  37,  39;  modern, 
115;  shape  of,  115;  weird 
forms  of,  277 

Box  Edging,  62;  transplant- 
ing and  cultivating,  65; 
choice  of,  65;  necessity  of 
fertilizing,  66;  with  manure 
water,  66;  trimming,  67; 
second  growth,  67 

Box  Hedges,  68;  where  to 
place  them,  68 

Brick,  Long  Island,  Hudson 
Valley,  175 

Brick  Steps,  175 

Brick  Walls,  174;  construc- 
tion, 176;  foundation  for, 


389 


390 


INDEX 


177;  with  fences,  174,  176; 

retaining,   179 
Brickwall,    garden    at,    270; 

flower  effect  at,  273 
Burgundy  Rose,  226 
Burnet-leaved  Rose,  226 
Buttonball  Tree,.  96 
Buxus  sempervirens,  65,  115, 

116;  var.  arborescens,  116, 

285 

Cabbage  Rose,  214,  291 

California  Privet,  153 

Calycanthus  Floridus,  152 

Camden,  S.  C.,  19 

Caps,   post,    185;   brick,    175 

Charleston,  S.  C.,  16 

Chippendale,     19; 

Chestnut,  94 

Cinnamon  Rose,  225 

Circus,  37 

Clara  Watson  Rose,  240 

Cleeve  Prior,  274 

Clematis     paniciilata;     Jack- 
manni,  257 

Climax,  garden,  281 

(-limbing   Roses,   247;   train- 
ing,  247 

Clothilde  Souperi  Rose,  228 

Common    sense    garden,    21  ; 
atmosphere  of,  61 

Colour  Schemes,  281 

Colours,  filling  in  with,  22 

Conventionality,    avoidance 
of,  74 

Cottage   garden,    Xew    Eng- 
land, 21 

Common  Moss  Rose,  217 

Coquette  des  Blanche  Rose, 
227 


Court  of  Honour,  291,  362 
Columbine,    341;   cultivation 

of,  341 

Coreopsis,  cultivation  of,  342 
Cornflower,  varieties  of,  345 
('old  frames,  best  place  to 

start  seeds,  350 
Cosmos,  357 

Crocuses,  naturalizing,  334 
Crested  Moss  Rose,  217 
Cratcpgus,  142;  crus-galli,  145 
Crimson  Boursault  Rose,  225 
Crimson       Rambler       Rose, 

where  to  place  it,  248,  251 
Cultivation    of    Roses,    230, 

231,  233 
Cypripediums,     naturalizing, 

337 
CyperuK  aUernifolius,  378 

Damask  Rose,  225,  291 

Dawson  Rose,  248 

Dahlias,  295;  cultivation  of; 

location  in  garden,  311 
Decoration,  obsolete,  367 
Deutzia  crenata,  152 
Delphiniums,  295 
Dianthus  barbate,  295;  Iled- 

dewigii,  345 
Dicentra  dielytra,  292 
Digitalis,  295 
Dog  Rose,  226 
Dogwood,     white     flowering 

native,    138;   red   twigged, 

370 

Dormant  Roses,  230 
Dorothy  Per'iins  Rose,  248 

Edgings,  Box,  29,  33;  fertili- 
zation of,  62 


391 


Effects,   bizarre,   in  gardens, 

61 

Eglantine,  222 
Elm  Tree,  87 
Elms,  8 

Elizabeth,  time  of,  7 
Entail,  tradition  of,  12 
Enclosure,  garden,  43 
Europe,  34 
Evergreens,  shading  with,  44; 

planting  of,  97,  98,  99;  at 

Arlington,  98 

Fad,  16 

Fairy  Rose,  226 

Ferns,  in  the  water  garden, 

374;  best  varieties  to  use, 

374 

Fence,  picket,  189 
Fences,  gas-pipe,    165;  wire, 

166;  picket,   185;  colonial, 

185 

Finials,  186 
Flowering  Almond,  152 
Flowering  Fern,  374 
Flowers,  planting  of,  22,  29, 

273-277 

Formality,  21 ;  of  gardens,  24 
Formal  gardens,  in  America, 

11 

Formal  effects,  40 
Foxglove,  295;  cultivation  of, 

303;  naturalizing,  338 
Forget-me-not,  345 
Forecourt,  at  Alt.  Vernon,  30 
Forsythia,    147;    in   a   water 

garden,  373 

Freakishness,  in  a  garden,  47 
Freedom,  of  planting,  21 
Furnishing,  the  garden,  74 


Garland  Rose,  226 

Garth,  40 

Gate,  hand,  180 

Gateways,   arched,   186,    189 

Garden,  front  yard,  7;  Eng- 
lish of  to-day,  22;  French, 
25;  German,  25;  Italian, 
25;  miniature,  43;  planting 
of,  26;  sunken,  47;  com- 
mon sense,  21,  40;  size  of, 
58;  characteristics  of  Eng- 
lish, 268 

Garden  architects,  73;  use  of, 
74 

Garden-making,  sentiments 
of,  16;  art  of,  56;  failures 
of,  77;  revival  of,  119 

Garden-planting,    art    of,    56 

Gardening,  joys  of,  22 

Gardener,  25,  26;  chief,  37; 
landscape,  40 

Gardeners,  school  of  land- 
scape, 47 

Garden-house,  5S 

Gardens,  old,  19,  55;  notable, 
19;  appropriate,  21 ;  Ameri- 
can, 25,  39;  of  England,  34; 
Italian,  48,  55;  modern,  55; 
characteristics  of,  55;  fur- 
nishings, 55;  colouring,  55; 
Colonial,  267;  medurval, 
267;  Renaissance,  267;  im- 
portance of,  268 

General  Jacqueminot  Rose, 
227. 

Gladioli,  356;  varieties  of,  359 

Gossamer  Fern,  374 

Goldfish,  in  the  pool,  383 

Grace  Darling  Rose,  239 

Gruss  an  Teplitz  Rose,  240 


392 


INDEX 


Gravel,  white,  for  garden 
paths,  361 

Haddon  Hall,  garden  at,  270 

Hardy  herbaceous  plants, 
list  of  most  important,  295, 
296;  secondary  list  of,  341 

Harrison's  Yellow  Rose,  218 

Harmony,  47 

Half-timbered  work,  44 

Hardy  perpetual  Roses,  221 

Hawthorne,  native,  142 

Hedge,  Box,  37 

Hedges,  19,  29;  Box,  33,  203; 
materials  for,  190;  Privet, 
193,  194,  197,  201;  Hem- 
lock, 194;  Arbor  Vita-,  207; 
Holly,  207;  Rose,  263 

Heartsease,  292 

Hepplewhite,  19,  116 

Hemerocallis,  296;  flara, 
fulva,  322;  location  in  gar- 
den, 322 

Hibiscus  Syriacus,  151 

Hickory  trees,  94 

Honeysuckle,    189,    190,   254 

Holly,   162;  native,   162 

Holly  House,  145 

Hollyhock,  295;  cultivation; 
diseases  of;  location  in 
garden,  305 

Hybrid  Tea  Roses,  list  of,  244 

Hypericum  prolificum,  153 

Ilex  opaca,  162;    crenata,  197 
Individual  taste,  77 
Individuality  of  the  garden, 

73 
Instinct  for  colouring,  15 


Irish  Juniper,  108 

Iris,  German,  295;  cultiva- 
tion, 296;  Japan,  295;  cul- 
tivation, 299,  300;  sibirica, 
377 

Italian  gardens,  features  of, 
268;  bad  copies  of,  48 

Japanese  Evergreens,  112 

Japanese  Holly,  225 

Jonquils,  in  the  garden,  287; 
naturalizing,  326;  camper- 
nelle,  333;  single  yellow, 
333 

Kaiserin  Augusta  Rose,  239 
Kalmia  lati folia,  158 
Kellie  Castle,  garden  at,  274 
Killarney  Rose,  238 
Kitchen-garden,    15 

Lady  Slippers,  337 

Lavender,  cultivation;  loca- 
tion; varieties,  350 

Laburnum  rulgare,  142 

La  France  Rose,  240 

Landscape,  natural,  8 

Larch  Trees,   148 

Laurel,   158 

Larkspur,  in  circular  bed, 
292;  way  to  grow,  304; 
cultivation  of,  304 

Le  Notre,  magnificance  of, 
269;  teachings  of,  269 

Levens,  garden  at,  277 

Lilacs,  137,  138;  in  the  gar- 
den, 282;  white,  71 

Lily,  22;  white,  in  circular 
bed,  292 


393 


Lily-of-the- Valley,  61 

Lilies,  with  Rhododendrons, 
161;  varieties  of,  296;  cul- 
tivation; location  in  gar- 
den, 312;  shelter  for,  315; 
naturalizing,  337;  in  the 
water  garden,  312 

Ligitstrum  ovali folium,  153 

Lilium  auratum,  161,  316; 
candidum,  161,  316;  longi- 
florum,  161,  318;  Philadel- 
phicum,  316;  speciosum, 
318;  Canadense,  318;  tigrf- 
num,  161,  318;  umbellatum-, 
161,  317 

Linden  Trees,  93 

Limnocharis  (Water  Poppy), 
381 

Location  of  the  Garden, 
57 

Lonicera  tartar  ica,  154 

Marigold,  353 

Maiden's  Blush  Rose,  226 

Maple  Trees,  8,  88;  Red,  88; 

Sugar,  91;  Norway,   93 

Silver,  93;  Weeping,  93 
Maidenhair  Fern,  378 
Madame  Plantier  Rose,  222, 

285 
Magnolias;  soulangeana,  con- 

spicui;  stellata,  141 
Magna  Charta  Rose,  227 
McGowan's  Pass  52 
Mildred  Grant  Rose,  238 
Michaelmas  Daisy,  273 
Moat,  39 

Monkshood,  273,  274 
Mock  Orange,  148 
Moss  Roses,  217 


Monthly  Roses,  care  of,  233; 

protection,    234;    spraying 

of,  234;  location  for,  234; 

cultivation    of,     234;     soil 

for,  234;  list  of,  244 
Mrs.  John  Lairig  Rose,   228 
Mt.   Vernon,   11,   29,   33 
Musk  Rose,  225,  291 
Myriophyllum  (Parrot's 

Feather),  377 
Mysotis  345 

Narcissus,  in  the  garden,  287; 
poeticus,  288;  p.  ornatus, 
288;  naturalizing,  326;  va- 
rieties for  naturalizing,  329; 
cheapest,  330;  list  of  named 
varieties,  330;  double,  333 

Norway  Spruce,  103 

Nordmann's  Silver   Fir,    104 

Nurserymen,    16 

Oaks,  White,  Rsd,  Pin,  84; 
planting  of,  84;  most  pic- 
turesque, 85;  truth  about, 
85;  transplantation  of  Pin 
Oaks,  86 ' 

Old  Box,  placing  of,  67; 
planting,  67;  use  of,  67; 
location  in  old  gardens  and 
yards,  68;  moving  of,  120, 
123;  treatment  after  mov- 
ing, 123;  in  the  garden,  285 

Old  Lilacs,  67;  placing,  67; 
location  in  old  gardens  and 
yards,  68;  as  screens,  68; 
behind  walls,  68;  along 
lanes,  68;  best  varieties  to 
use,  68;  new  French  vari- 
eties, 71 ;  budded  on  Privet, 


394 


INDEX 


71;  growth  of,  71;  trans- 
plantation of  large  speci- 
mens, 72  ;  selection  of  old 
specimens,  72 

Onoclea  Struthiopteris,  374 

Ornaments,  in  the  garden, 
362 

Osmunda  regalis,  374 

Ostrich  Fern,  374 

Osier  Fences,  39 

Pansies,    cultivation   of,    354 
Paths,  for  the  garden,  358 
Pathways,  arboured,  190 
Parlour;  8 

Paul  Xeyron  Rose,  228 
Park,  Central,  30 
Parterres,  geometrical,  40 
Pegging  Perpetual  Roses,  231 
Pergola  at  Arlington,  51 
Pergolas,  to  be  avoided,  51; 

Rose,  51 ;  as  a  dividing  line, 

approach,   etc.,   51;   rustic 

in  Central  Park,  52 
Peristyles,  30 
Perpetual   Roses,    wintering, 

231 

Persian  Yellow  Rose,  218 
Peonies,  291,  295 
Petunias,   357 

Philadelphus  coronarins,   148 
Phlox,  in  circular  bed,  292, 

295;    cultivation    of,    309; 

list  of  best  colours,  310,  311 
Picea  Nordmanmana,  104 
Pin  Oak,  84;  characteristics 

of,  85 

Planning  the  grounds,   73 
Pleasure  grounds,  theatrical, 

50 


Plaisance,  Pliny's,  115 

Pleasure  garden,  11 

Pliny,  34;  the  younger,  268 

Pleached  trees,  267 

Positions  available  for  trees 
and  shrubs,  78 

Poplar  Trees,  94 

Posts,  186 

Polyantha  Roses,  list  of,  244 

Poppies,  357 

Pool,  construction  of,  374; 
depth  of,  383;  protection 
of,  in  Winter,  383;  fresh 
water  for,  384 

Projects  of  designing  and 
planting,  15 

Privet,  39;  as  topiary  ma- 
terial, 203;  in  the  water 
garden,  373 

Provence  Rose,  214 

Pruning  Roses,  232;  shrubs, 
131 

Prairie  Queen  Rose,  248 

Red  Cedar,  111;  as  a  back- 
ground, 112 

Repertoire,  61 

Rose  garden,  plan  of,  264 

Renaissance,  4 

Refinement,  breath  of,  19; 
of  touch,  15 

Remontant  Roses,  230;  list 
of,  245,  246 

Rhododendron;  maximum, 
154,  157,  158;  varieties  of, 
161;  varieties  for  water 
garden,  370 

Ribbon  Red,  265 

Rose  garden,  plan  of,  264 

Roman  gardens,  4 


IXDEX 


395 


Roses,  Summer,  221;  use  in 
England,  209 

Rosa  centi  folia,  214 

Rosa  Gatlica,  217 

Row  lucido,  218 

Rosa  Rubignosa,  222 

Rosa  mundi,  225 

Rosa  Moschata,  225 

Rosa  Alba,  226 

Rosa  setegira,  248 

Rose  Arbours,  252 

Rose  Hedges,  263 

Rose  Standards,  263 

Rugosa  Rose,  213,  263;  in 
flower  garden,  282;  in  the 
water  garden,  282;  hy- 
brids, 214 

Rudbeckia,  location  in  gar- 
den, 322 

Salem,  3 
Sanctuary,  4 
Screens,  clipped,  38 
Scotch  Briar  Rose,  226 
Srirpus  (Bulrush),  377 
Seclusion,  high- walled,  30 
Sentiment,  22 
Setting,  of  the  garden,  29 
Seats,  for  the  garden,  367 
Sheraton,  19,  116 
Shrubs,    127;    as    individual 
specimens,  127;  buying  and 
choosing,     128,     131,     132, 
135;    pruning,     131;    fan- 
tastically clipped,  131 ;  tag- 
ging for  identification,  135; 
novelties,      135;     for     the 
yard,  147;  list  for  planting, 
163;  in  the  flower  garden, 
281 


Simplicity,  importance  of,  48 

Snapdragon,  264 

Souvenir   de    President   Car- 

not,  Rose  239 
South,  16;  formal  gardens  of, 

21;  estates  in,  11 
Staking     out     locations     for 

trees,  78 

Stobhall,  garden  at,  270 
Stakes,  in  the  garden,  323 
Stocks,   357 

Success,  in  cultivation,  62 
Surroundings  in  Winter  and 

Spring,   78 
Sundial,    285,    286;    location 

for,  362 
Sunflower,  358 
Sunlight,  necessity  of,  58 

Tea  Roses,  221;  list  of,  244 

Tennyson,  22 

Thuja,  occidentalis,  123;  pyr- 
amidalis,  124 

Tiger  Lily,  318 

Topiarius,  37 

Topiary  work,  in  Italian  gar- 
dens, 56;  Amateur,  203 

Trim,  for  brick  walls,  175 

Transplanting  Roses,  229 

Trees,  in  relation  to  house 
and  garden,  44;  places  for, 
78;  planting  well  developed 
specimens,  78;  expense  of 
transplanting  large  trees, 
78;  best  to  use  for  ground- 
work of  planting,  81 ;  guard- 
ing of,  82;  contract  con- 
cerning, 82;  most  valuable, 
82;  discrimination  in  plant- 
ing, 83;  most  desirable,  84; 


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